


On Dragonfly's Wings

by TheSeaAndYou



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: College, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Roommates, Slow Build, Slow Burn, They Got The Bread
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 25,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSeaAndYou/pseuds/TheSeaAndYou
Summary: Set between pre- and post-timeskip, Akaashi and Sakusa attend the same university and happen to be roommates. Year by year, their monochromatic interactions develop into a relationship of prismatic dimensions.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 24
Kudos: 65





	1. Year 1 - Opaque

**Author's Note:**

> [§ - timeskip (varies depending on context)]  
> [δ - point of view switch (also includes timeskip depending on context]

When Akaashi Keiji first received the notice about rooming situations at the university he was attending, he was not expecting his name to appear alongside a familiar name under one of the room numbers. From what he had heard, Sakusa Kiyoomi was scouted by multiple teams, even offered a starting position immediately upon graduation by some, and a rumor began to spread that he was asked to join the national team. Akaashi paid no mind to those rumors at that time— they were simply speculations— and he never bothered to really figure out where Sakusa chose to go after high school.

Now he wished he had asked a few people about it.

‘ _Bokuto-san will surely be ecstatic to hear who I’m rooming with…_ ’

The day before the university allowed students to begin moving into their dorms, Akaashi had prepared everything he needed, fitting his clothes and necessities into two suitcases and his backpack. His mother stood by the door as he packed the last of his belongings, giving him little reminders of what he should be doing every day, such as making sure he knew to eat properly and storing his clothes neatly. Akaashi knew she was trying to help and was nervous about him moving out, so he simply allowed her to talk, giving a few verbal cues to indicate that he was listening. His family enjoyed dinner together, and as the late night settled, Akaashi retreated to his room to rest and mentally prepare himself for the next day.

Once he closed the door, Akaashi checked his phone, which he had left in his room. He scrolled through the messages there, mostly from former teammates, who were congratulating him as he entered the next stage of his life. Notably, he had missed a few messages from his former captain and teammate.

[AKAAAASHI!!!!!!] (20:14)

[AKAAAAAAAAASHI!!!!!!] (20:37)

[AKAASHI, WHERE ARE YOU!?] (20:54)

[Akaashi…are you mad at me... ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚] (21:12)

Akaashi was unable to keep himself from laughing under his breath, quickly typing up his late reply.

(22:21) [I'm here, Bokuto-san]

[Oh good, I thought you died!!!] (22:21)

(22:22) [Did you wait long? I apologize. I was talking with my family.]

[Nope!! Wasn’t waiting at all!!] (22:22)

[So...did you get any news about who you’re rooming with!?] (22:23)

(22:23) [Actually...]

[!?!?!?!?!] (22:23)

(22:23) [I wanted to talk to you about that.]

[You can tell me anything, Akaashi!!!] (22:23)

[Did you meet them already? Are they nice? Are they

pretty? No one can beat your looks. I bet they’re ugly.] (22:24)

(22:24) [I don’t know about that…]

[...Well!? What is it!?] (22:24)

(22:24) [My roommate is...]

[Is…!?!?] (22:24)

(22:25) [Sakusa Kiyoomi.]

[Oh, I know someone with that name!] (22:25)

[Do you remember, Akaashi!? That stinky Sakusa that handed

us second seed for nationals during our last year together!?] (22:25)

[Just thinking about it makes me angry…] (22:25)

[I hope your roommate’s not as bad as him, though! That would suck!] (22:26)

(22:26) [...]

(22:26) [Bokuto-san.]

[What?] (22:27)

(22:27) [Think about this carefully.]

Akaashi stared at his screen for a few minutes, watching as the blinking ellipses appeared and disappeared periodically, conveying what he could only assume was Bokuto’s confusion.

[OH MY GOD] (22:30)

[YOU’RE ROOMING WITH _THE_ SAKUSA KIYOOMI???] (22:30)

[I THOUGHT HE WAS PLAYING VOLLEYBALL WITH A TEAM??] (22:30)

(22:31) [I thought so too. The name on the list is definitely his, though.]

(22:31) [Spelling and everything.]

[AKAASHI, I’M COMING OVER!!] (22:31)

(22:31) [No, you aren’t.]

[WHAT DO YOU MEAN “NO”!!!] (22:31)

[UUUGHHH!!! WHY ISN’T HE PLAYING VOLLEYBALL!?!?] (22:32)

[AKAASHI, IF HE LAYS A HAND ON YOU, I’LL TAKE CARE OF HIM!!!!!!] (22:32)

[YOU SHOULD GIVE HIM A PIECE OF YOUR MIND!!!!] (22:32)

(22:32) [Bokuto-san, calm down.]

(22:32) [Knowing him, he probably won’t even touch me.]

(22:33) [But you do bring up a good point… I wonder why he’s not doing volleyball.]

Akaashi set his phone down, going through his nightly routine to prepare for bed. Thinking about the situation was making his head hurt, but he figured that a night’s rest would alleviate the stress that began mounting on his shoulders.

‘ _Over a_ _roommate_ , _no less…_ ’

Before he completely shut down for the night, he checked his phone one last time.

[AKAASHI!!! I asked around and learned some important information!!] (23:01)

[Praise me!!] (23:01)

(23:05) [What did you find out, Bokuto-san?]

[You didn’t praise me… (๑-﹏-๑)] (23:05)

(23:05) [Don’t use those emoticons just to garner sympathy when you’re sad.]

(23:05) [Tell me what you found out.]

[I asked someone here about Sakusa and they said that he declined

almost every offer they know about, or he ran away from them!] (23:06)

[They don’t know if he _did_ accept anything, though… But they said that during the

most recent Spring Interhigh Nationals tournament, a few college scouts were there!] (23:06)

(23:06) [...Then he probably accepted one of those.]

[Yup!] (23:07)

Finishing up the conversation with a good night, Akaashi placed his phone down one last time, shutting off the lights in his room. He allowed his mind to wonder for a while before closing his eyes, falling into a peaceful slumber.

§ § § § § § § § §

Akaashi arrived at the dormitories right as they opened the buildings for incoming students to move in. It was seven in the morning, but it was normal for him to wake up even earlier, usually around five, to go out for a jog before volleyball practices. He was still slightly tired, letting out a small yawn, but he habitually refused to allow it to bother him. His parents dropped him off before work, wished him good luck, and made sure he made it into the buildings with all his belongings in hand before driving off. This simple parting ritual was a common sign around the block as students began to arrive and fall into the same patterns of saying goodbye to their loved ones.

If Akaashi thought he was too early, then he was certainly proven wrong. He made sure he went through the proper procedures to retrieve his key and made his way up to his room, where he caught sight of the towering Sakusa standing in one of the dormitory’s many hallways. Akaashi figured his roommate had just arrived as well upon seeing Sakusa pulling out his key.

“Good morning.” Akaashi politely offered the simple greeting when he arrived within earshot, bowing slightly. He only got a grunt in response, and Akaashi was fine with that. ‘ _He probably isn’t a morning person._ ’

Once the door was open, Akaashi’s bewildered eyes observed as Sakusa, armed with disinfectant and a towel, entered their room, closing the door behind him. He chose not to say anything or attempt to open the door, hearing the faint sounds of the bottle spraying disinfectant moving around the room.

His tall roommate emerged from the room five minutes later, and Akaashi watched as Sakusa began to carry several boxes of varying sizes into the room. He would have offered to help him, but knew he’d get a sharp retort if he even tried to touch Sakusa’s belongings.

‘ _I really look like I’m just standing here._ ’ Akaashi shuffled his feet slightly as he watched the last of the boxes enter the room. Sakusa shot a look over his shoulder at Akaashi.

“You can come in, you know.” The words were laced thinly with annoyance, and Akaashi took that as his cue to stop staring and start working. The two of them proceeded to organize their halves of the room in dead silence. The left side of the room was claimed by Sakusa before Akaashi could even enter, but he did not mind as there was virtually no difference between the two sides. 

Each occupant was given a loft bed with a desk and accompanying swivel chair, which Akaashi thought was a smart way to save space in the decently sized, but still small, room. They were each given a slim wooden wardrobe that had two long doors, and there was a lengthy mirror pinned to the inside of the door. A single window offered natural light into the room, located directly opposite of the door. Fortunately, the window itself was also reasonably sized, offering a fair amount of light into the room. For a university dormitory, Akaashi found that they were quite fortunate with what they were given.

The majority of the morning was spent in silence. Akaashi inspected his side of the room once he had packed everything away before turning to look at the progress that his roommate had made. Sakusa was organizing his wardrobe, and Akaashi could see that the bottom of his wardrobe was lined with various cleaning supplies. Akaashi turned his head away, respecting Sakusa’s privacy, and began to fiddle with his fingers as he looked around the room, unsure of what to do. After a moment, he checked the time on his phone.

10:01.

‘ _I suppose I could get a snack…_ ’ Making sure his phone and key was in his pocket, Akaashi began to head out of the room, only pausing to turn his head over his shoulder.

“I’m going to get something to eat.” Sakusa looked up, staring wordlessly at Akaashi for a moment. He then went back to folding the last of his plain shirts and placing them in their designated spot in his wardrobe. Akaashi closed the door behind him quietly.

§ § § § § § § § §

Bokuto begged Akaashi to give him updates at least every week to “know how he was settling in”, which is something that he apparently needed to know because he was Akaashi’s “senpai and former captain”. Akaashi complied, giving the similar brief and repetitive description to Bokuto at the end of every week.

(21:02) [Nothing happened this week.]

[AGAIN!?] (22:32)

For weeks, the two of them would live on with their lives, barely interacting with each other outside of the normal routine that they had established. Having grown accustomed to keeping notes on his teammate’s play habits, mostly Bokuto’s, he figured taking note of Sakusa’s behaviors would help him avoid being the target of Sakusa’s terrifying glare.

Sakusa woke up at 5:30 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to go out for morning jogs, which typically lasted what Akaashi assumed was forty-five minutes to an hour. His roommate would always be back by 7:00, his hair slightly damp. Sakusa’s first class on these days was at 8:30, so he would eat breakfast and work on some assignments before heading to class. On these same days, Akaashi’s first class was at 8:00. Having constant bouts of anxiety over being late, he would usually be out of bed and dressed by the time Sakusa returned. The two of them exchanged morning greetings, or rather, Akaashi vocally acknowledged his roommate while Sakusa simply nodded. Within minutes, Akaashi would be out the door, buying his breakfast at a convenience store on his way to class. Akaashi would typically be out of the room for a majority of the day, studying in the library or nearby cafe, only stopping by their room to pick up a few items he may have forgotten. Sakusa was always the last of the pair to return to the room, usually between 9:30 and 10:00. He thought this was way too late for Sakusa to be returning to their room, but figured Sakusa took the time to shower and eat dinner after practice. Once again, Akaashi acknowledged Sakusa’s entrance with a simple good evening, and the two of them would silently coexist for the next few hours.

Akaashi would be the first one to wake up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which happened to be the days where the two of them only had classes in the afternoon. He found that Sakusa took advantage of this, sleeping in to give his exhausted body rest. Akaashi quickly prepared himself for the day and cautiously left the room, working at another location so as to not disturb Sakusa’s much needed sleep.

Sakusa clearly established where their boundaries met, and it was right down the middle of their room, where an invisible line separated Akaashi's living area from Sakusa's. Not once had Akaashi caught Sakusa disrupting this boundary intentionally, and Akaashi did his utmost to maintain that streak on his side as well. The few times where one of them had crossed this barrier involved any of their belongings, ranging from a rolling eraser to a dropped textbook, accidentally ended up across the invisible line. In that case, they would promptly pick up the item and reinstate peace between the two sides of the room. Sakusa's belongings were only found on his side of the room, and Akaashi's belongings would never be found on the wrong side.

Akaashi quickly grew accustomed to Sakusa's meticulous tendencies. On the day that they moved into the dorms, Sakusa had bought a tall stand that was wide enough to fit a potted plant of small to medium proportions. However, instead of placing a plant on it, Sakusa moved the stand against the wall, right next to the door, and plopped a bottle of hand sanitizer on it. The stand was on Akaashi’s side of the room, but he accepted the position because it was easily visible to anyone entering the room. When Sakusa had stepped back to admire what he had finished, Akaashi watched him in silence from his desk. Possibly feeling a presence watching him, Sakusa turned around and caught Akaashi’s eyes with his own. He did not say a word, and Akaashi simply nodded, understanding what his roommate was wordlessly telling him through his narrowed eyes. From that day onwards, Akaashi made sure to sanitize his hands every time he returned to their room before continuing on with his life. He would rather wash his hands, but there was no sink in their room, and the closest one was down the hall in the communal bathroom, which he was sure Sakusa did not approve of. He kept his side of the room as pristine as possible so as to avoid Sakusa scolding him, but he would have done this even if Sakusa was not living with him.

Akaashi was typically the one that retrieved the mail that was addressed to their room. Every Sunday, unless there was an urgent package or letter, Akaashi would check the mailroom and bring whatever he found back to their room. Sakusa did not seem to be bothered by this act and allowed Akaashi to collect the mail. If he was expecting something, he let Akaashi know with a quick statement a few days prior, and Akaashi was diligent in bringing it back to him. In exchange, Sakusa took care of their laundry. Akaashi found this a bit strange, but Sakusa muttered about the uncleanliness of the laundry room and insisted that every piece of clothing in the room be washed elsewhere. While he was a bit hesitant at first, Akaashi was a bit relieved that he had one less thing to worry about while studying. Every Saturday morning, Sakusa took their clothes to wherever, and every afternoon, he returned. If Akaashi was not there when Sakusa returned, Akaashi would find his clothes neatly folded and placed on his bed when he returned. At first, Akaashi tried to pay Sakusa any fee that he paid to get their clothes washed, but Sakusa merely waved it off.

This voidless routine would be mundane to anyone, but Akaashi enjoyed it.

Sometimes, he wondered if Sakusa was fine with it as well.

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

The talk of midterm exams hung in the humid summer air. While Sakusa wished he could escape the topic, he knew it was practically impossible as the important tests were just around the corner. Personally, he cared less about the exams than the average student, but took some extra time to study and review his notes.

Two days before the first of the exams, Sakusa woke up in the middle of the night. He was unsure if he had a nightmare or if it was a noise that shook him awake; whatever it was, he did not linger on it too long. Instead, his sleepy eyes noticed that there was a faint glow in the room. He propped himself up with his elbow, turning to look down at his roommate’s desk.

Akaashi slept with his arms under his tilted head, laying over on one of his textbooks. The lamp on his desk was still on. Sakusa knew his roommate cared more about his academics than he did, and he often fell asleep while Akaashi was still working late into the night. Though, this was the first time Sakusa caught Akaashi falling asleep at his desk.

Sakusa sighed disapprovingly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he made his way down from his bed. While making his way to Akaashi’s desk, Sakusa picked up the tracksuit jacket that was perched on the back of his chair. He gently draped his jacket over his sleeping roommate before reaching over him to turn off the lamp. Familiar with the format of their room, Sakusa made his way to the door, took a pump of hand sanitizer, and massaged it into his hands as he went back to his bed.

Sakusa pulled the covers over his shoulders, turned to face the wall, and went back to sleep.

§ § § § § § § § §

When Sakusa woke up again, he heard shuffling in the room. Turning ever so slightly, he caught Akaashi standing over his desk accompanied by the sound of closing books.

His jacket was still perched on Akaashi’s shoulders. He must have woken up just now.

Sakusa sat up, running a hand through his somewhat messy hair. He contemplated sleeping for another hour or two, but his thoughts were soon interrupted.

“Good morning, Sakusa-san.” Akaashi’s gentle greeting lingered for a moment as Sakusa processed what he said.

“Morning.” Sakusa muttered back. “Did you just wake up?”

“Pretty much.” Akaashi tilted his head slightly. “Ah, your jacket…” Sakusa watched as Akaashi took off his jacket, neatly folding it in his arms. A beat of silence passed between them.

“That was careless of you.” Sakusa made his way down from his bed, stretching his arms above his head as he made his way to his wardrobe. No response was given. While grabbing his towel, he turned his head slightly to look at Akaashi, who had sheepishly averted his gaze to the floor. Sakusa picked up a small bag that he used to carry his personal toiletries.

“I apologize if I troubled you.”

“Don’t do it again.” Sakusa threw one end of his towel over his shoulder as he walked past Akaashi and towards the door. “You’ll catch a cold, and it’s not good for your back. Sleep properly.” Akaashi simply nodded.

“Leave my jacket on my chair.” Sakusa left the room before Akaashi could respond, heading towards the bathroom to take a shower.

§ § § § § § § § §

Sakusa enjoyed jogging during autumn. The air was chilly, but not freezing, and the light exercise warmed up his body enough to make him feel comfortable in the autumn atmosphere.

On this particular day, Akaashi was joining him on his morning run.

Several weeks ago, Akaashi asked to join him. With a blank expression, Sakusa responded.

“Do what you want. Don’t get in my way.”

From then on, Akaashi would join him at least once a week. He effortlessly kept up with Sakusa’s pace; at first, he trailed slightly behind Sakusa so that he could follow him and familiarize himself with the route that Sakusa took, but after a while, he would jog by Sakusa’s side while keeping a reasonable distance between them. Sakusa had no idea if this was Akaashi’s way of trying to befriend him or trying to best him. Frankly, he did not care, just as long as Akaashi stayed out of his personal space.

“Sakusa-san.” Surprised to hear Akaashi speak, Sakusa’s eyes shifted over to Akaashi while they continued jogging.

“Hmm?”

“Something has been on my mind lately.”

“What? If you have something to say, just say it.” Sakusa turned his eyes to focus on the road, a bit annoyed that Akaashi was dancing around the subject instead of directly addressing it.

“Is there a reason why you chose to attend university?”

“Hah?” Sakusa’s eyes once again settled on Akaashi, narrowing slightly.

“I thought you would want to pursue being a professional volleyball player immediately after high school.” Their eyes met for a moment before Sakusa broke contact.

“I can’t be a professional player my entire life. This is a back-up in case anything happens.” Their dorm was now within sight, and Sakusa slowed to a walk. Akaashi followed suit, looking ahead at their destination.

“I suppose that’s true.”

Heavy breathing filled the space between them momentarily. Sakusa stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket after putting on his face mask.

“I’m nowhere near the level of a pro. I need to train and practice for a few more years.”

“Then, I look forward to the day where you play professionally.” Taken aback by this, Sakusa stopped in his tracks, turning his head to face Akaashi.

A slight smirk was plastered on Akaashi’s face as a response to Sakusa’s reaction. Sakusa felt his throat begin to tighten, his face forming a mask of irritation to hide his initial display of bewilderment.

“What? I can’t support you?”

“...Do what you want.”

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

The first year of university was coming to an end. Akaashi could feel his bones aching with each passing day just thinking about his courses for the next semester, and he had yet to finish this semester. Spring had finally arrived, but the air was still frigid. Akaashi had taken his blanket off of his bed, wrapping it around himself as he hunched over his desk, reviewing the last of his notes for his last exam. The day was still young, and sunlight seeped through their window, offering little warmth but plenty of comfort.

Even though Akaashi and Sakusa had lived together for a year, there was still a bit of tension between them. While not on the friendliest of terms, they were still respectful of each other. Their conversions grew over time, but lengthy talks were rare and often blunt. Akaashi was careful with his words, as if Sakusa was holding him hostage, but he knew this was likely something he conjured in his mind.

Interrupted from his thoughts, Akaashi looked up from his notes momentarily to see Sakusa enter their room, taking his usual precautions as he made his way to his desk, taking a seat. Akaashi was about to turn his attention back to his book when Sakusa spoke up.

“Are you busy?”

“Not really.” Akaashi turned his chair around to face his roommate. Sakusa had done the same, stretching his legs out in front of him. Akaashi pulled his blanket closer to his body. “Did you need something?”

“I plan on moving out.” Sakusa’s eyes lingered on Akaashi, as if analyzing his reaction. Akaashi simply nodded.

“Alright. I’m assuming you hate it here?”

“Yes.” Sakusa turned his chair around slightly, looking over at the door. “I hate this building… There’s almost no sense of privacy here, and the bathrooms are particularly disgusting. I hate the policy where first years have to live in a college dormitory.”

“Where do you plan on staying?”

“My parent’s house is too far. It took a bit, but I found an apartment I like that’s close to school, and my parents are offering to cover rent.”

“That’s nice of them. Apartments are quite expensive here, even if it is just rent.” Akaashi nodded again. “You’re done with exams, right? Do you want me to help you with your things?”

“No, it’s fine. There’s one more thing.” Akaashi raised his eyebrows curiously. This time, it was Sakusa that seemed quite nervous to articulate his thoughts. For someone that was quite straightforward with his words, Akaashi found this moment of hesitation a bit surprising.

“I was wondering if you wanted to remain roommates.”

Akaashi blinked, his mind working to process the words that Sakusa spoke. Sakusa sunk a bit into his chair.

“It’s fine if you don't want to. My parents were worried about me living alone and insisted that if I wanted to move out, I had to find someone to live with. You’re my best option.”

“I’m quite flattered, but…” Akaashi cleared his throat. “It wouldn’t be right for me to live there without pay-”

“They’re fine with that.” Sakusa reiterated, shooting down that part of the discussion before it could even begin.

“But-”

“Look.” Sakusa interrupted Akaashi again. “I’d rather have a competent roommate that I know over someone I haven’t even met yet.”

“I’m taking that as a compliment.”

“Fine.” Sakusa scowled at Akaashi’s slightly smug expression. “Just… consider it.”

Akaashi allowed a smile to form on his face, leaning back in his chair. Sakusa glared at him, as if trying to figure out what Akaashi would say next.

“You’re a difficult guy to be around, you know?” A grunt escaped Sakusa’s throat at Akaashi's words. “I’ll move in with you under one condition.”

“What?”

“Allow me to repay you.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. You think about it. Anything you want, even if it’s years from now.”

“ _Anything_?”

“ _Anything_. I’m a man of my word.”

“..."

“If you can’t think of anything by the time I die, then I’m writing your name in my will.” Akaashi turned his chair to face his desk, hiding his widening smile from his roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Opaque - Something that is incapable of allowing light to pass through; Something that is hard or difficult to understand


	2. Year 2 - Translucent

The apartment that Sakusa chose was on the sixth floor of a complex with eight floors. It had two bedrooms, a spacious living room that opened to a decently sized balcony and was connected to a dining area with an open kitchen. There was still a shared bathroom, but it was better than a bathroom shared between twenty people. Sakusa was the one that arranged for everything to be prepared at the apartment before they moved in; he had the entire apartment cleaned and sanitized, furnished every room with necessary items, and did another deep clean of the apartment himself the day before they were set to move in.

The two of them packed their belongings in the same time that it took for them to unpack them a year ago. Akaashi helped carry some of Sakusa’s boxes, which he discovered were filled to the brim with hygiene products, down to the car that waited for them in front of the dormitory building. Sakusa’s mother had graciously offered to drive the two of them to their new living space, which Akaashi thought was a gesture that was mindful of Sakusa’s extreme dislike of unfamiliar spaces.

Sakusa’s mother was a stark contrast to her son, making Akaashi wonder where Sakusa’s tendencies and personality came from. Her complexion and hair resembled his roommate closely, but she had the softest grey eyes and a gentle smile, her hair neatly kept in a low ponytail with a hairband. She was much shorter than Sakusa and a bit shorter than Akaashi, certainly shorter than what Akaashi had imagined, so he could only assume what they fed Sakusa to get him to tower over most of the human population.

Instead of a harsh glare, Sakusa’s mother gave the pair a cheerful good morning when she arrived. Seeing as she was much livelier than her son, Akaashi attempted to convey to her privately that he wanted to pay back her family somehow. Just like Sakusa, she waved it off. She then repeatedly thanked him for shouldering her son’s habits and attitude. Seeing how deeply she cared for her son and how grateful she was that Akaashi was willing to live with him, Akaashi backed down on his offer, reassuring her that Sakusa was a responsible man and could take care of himself, even if Akaashi was not with him. She merely nodded, and Akaashi could tell that she was holding back on saying more but chose not to continue the conversation when Sakusa called for her.

This transition did not come as easily between himself and his own mother. Akaashi talked to her for days before the move, convincing her that this was something he could handle and that she and his father did not need to worry about lending him money for rent. She continuously insisted that she talk to Sakusa’s parents until Akaashi finally caved and awkwardly asked Sakusa for their numbers. After an hour of grueling silence, his mother called him back to give him her approval.

The thought of telling Bokuto about the move never crossed his mind. He was still roommates with Sakusa, albeit at a different location. Akaashi had a feeling that if he had told Bokuto, he would demand the address immediately and come storming to their apartment. While Akaashi would not mind, he would prefer to remain on good terms with Sakusa and not get kicked out when they just moved in. The topic of visitors never came up in conversation, but Akaashi sensed that visitors were somewhat banned unless they were given approval from Sakusa.

Even though their environment was dramatically different, not much changed. Sakusa still did the laundry, which was now done on their balcony where a washing machine was installed. There was still a bottle of hand sanitizer near the door. Face masks were not worn, which was something slightly more recent, and surprisingly, Sakusa now seemed indifferent to touching something Akaashi recently held, such as the television remote or a cup of water.

‘ _It makes sense,_ ’ Akaashi mused to himself. ‘ _We are actually living together now. It’s inevitable._ ’

Akaashi still accompanied Sakusa on some of his morning jogs, made sure to get the mail, and did his best to keep everything orderly. Now that they had an actual kitchen, though, Akaashi figured they could save some money by preparing their own meals. Back when he was still in high school and his parents worked late, he made decent meals for himself, so he knew a few basic dishes. Sakusa was out of the apartment more often than Akaashi, so Akaashi made no comment about his homemade food experiments to his roommate. During his free time, Akaashi scrolled through various recipes online while pacing the kitchen, aiming to try something new at least once a week.

Sakusa was quick to catch on, to Akaashi’s dismay.

“Did you buy groceries?” The voice manifested at Akaashi’s door one spring evening while his eyes were busy with the text in front of him. 

“Yeah.”

“Why?” Akaashi turned from his desk, a bit startled at the interrogation. Sakusa was leaning into Akaashi’s room from the partially opened doorway, his mask pulled down.

“I’m improving my cooking so we can save money.” Akaashi tilted his head slightly. “You’re free to eat whatever you want, if that’s what you’re asking.” He caught Sakusa furrowing his brow, possibly out of annoyance.

“Are you cleaning everything?”

“Of course.” Akaashi caught himself from scoffing at such a question. “Once when I brought it back from the store and again before I prepared it.” Sakusa said nothing, his eyes beginning to drift around Akaashi’s room. Akaashi waited for another question, but his roommate remained silent.

“I’ll cook for you.” The confident statement passed through Akaashi’s lips, and he watched as Sakusa straightened, almost as though Akaashi answered an unspoken question.

This was something he had already planned to do. Aside from wanting to save money, his mother made him promise that he would learn how to cook delicious meals for Sakusa as a sign of gratitude for allowing him to live at the apartment. She even insisted that Akaashi return home in a few months during summer vacation so that she could critique his skills.

“I’m not going to cook delicious food only for you to _not_ try it.” A slight smile formed on Akaashi’s lips. “This won’t count as my payment, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It’s not.”

“Then, please wait patiently. I’m still working on it, so don’t expect it soon.”

“Hurry up.”

§ § § § § § § § §

For Sakusa’s first meal, Akaashi chose to prepare a classic breakfast for Sakusa; classic for himself, at least. It was something on the safer side because he had watched his mother prepare it for him various times, and it was something he had developed to a confident level.

“Thanks for the food.” Sakusa muttered timidly, his head bowed slightly downwards as he stared at his food: a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup with some vegetables, a plate of fish, a plate with a rolled egg. Akaashi sat across and diagonally from him, the same arrangement in front of himself, watching his roommate’s expression. He also had the small notebook that he used to take note of Sakusa’s routines beside him.

“Tell me if there’s anything wrong with it. I’ll change it next time.” Sakusa simply nodded, picking up his chopsticks.

Silence hung over their heads, masked under the sounds of their chewing and the clicking of their chopsticks against the plates and bowls. It did not take long before a clear thought crossed his mind.

‘ _This is the first meal I’ve had with Sakusa-san_.’

Despite having lived together for a year, for whatever reason, the two of them had always dined separately. Akaashi was completely in the dark with Sakusa’s eating habits other than the assumption that Sakusa harbored a disdain towards fast food.

‘ _I should have asked him about his preferences. How foolish of me to think that I could assume he would like anything and everything…_ ’ Akaashi risked taking a peek at Sakusa to see if he could guess Sakusa’s thoughts based on his expression; this was, as he soon found out, another absurd sentiment.

Sakusa had the most mundane look plastered on his face, but he was eating everything in front of him, much to Akaashi’s relief.

‘ _He isn’t complaining, thankfully._ ’

Breakfast concluded twenty minutes after it began. As Akaashi set his chopsticks down, Sakusa began to gather the empty bowls and plates, even reaching for Akaashi’s portion.

“I can do the dishes. You have class soon, right?” Sakusa mumbled a response under his breath, almost as if he did not want Akaashi to hear what he said, but did not stop putting all the dishes into the sink. Akaashi chose not to push it, rising from his seat to enter the kitchen as well. “Have a good day, then.” Through the sounds of the kitchen sink turning on and Sakusa washing his hands, Akaashi went through the entire kitchen, gathering any utensils and pots and pans that he had used to prepare the meal so that he could properly wash everything.

The faucet turned off, and Sakusa wiped his hands dry, standing a bit to the side.

“Thanks.”

“Hmm?” Akaashi looked up when he heard Sakusa’s voice, putting the kitchenware into the sink.

“I said t-”

“I heard you the first time.” Akaashi took out a pair of gloves, preparing himself to go through the dirty dishes. “You’re welcome.”

“...”

“Did you want to say something else?”

“...It was delicious.”

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

Initially, Sakusa was hesitant with Akaashi’s cooking. For the first few weeks, he was not able to watch Akaashi prepare the meals, whether it was because he was at volleyball practice or he was sleeping in as much as possible. He had always prepared something for himself when he had the time; when he was in a hurry, there were a select few stores where he bought his food from. As he ate more of Akaashi’s meals, Sakusa felt more comfortable eating something made by him, but he still wanted to watch Akaashi prepare something to be sure.

That chance finally came one Saturday afternoon. An unexpected storm crossed over the city, and the coach of their volleyball team canceled practice. It had been a while since he had so much time on his hands; he would normally watch professional volleyball matches until it was time for him to eat, shower, or sleep. Instead of watching it on his laptop though, Sakusa now had the liberty of watching the games from the television in the living room, which is what he chose to do that day.

Sakusa had been snug on the couch in front of the flat-screen television for most of the day, his arms wrapped around his legs to pull them close to his body. His eyes were glued to the screen as he analyzed play after play from games ranging from professional matches to college matches. His eyes drifted away from the screen for a few seconds when he saw Akaashi walk out of his room and into the kitchen.

“Are you hungry?” Akaashi’s serene voice carried the words of a question that had been asked numerous times before.

“Kind of.”

“I’ll make lunch, then.” Sakusa hummed in response, his attention still on the game being broadcasted. After a few minutes, though, he paused the game, removing himself from the comfortable position on the couch to hover closely around Akaashi in the kitchen. Because of his taller stature, Sakura was able to easily peer over Akaashi's shoulders, watching him with observant eyes as he prepared their lunch.

“Can…I help you?” Akaashi’s confused face tilted upwards to meet Sakusa's gaze. Their faces were several inches apart, but that did not faze him.

"I want to watch you."

"You don't have to be so close." Akaashi turned back to the cutting board in front of him, continuing to slice tomatoes.

"I can't see what you're doing if I'm too far." Despite his words, Sakusa inched to the side while still keeping his eyes on the cutting board. "What are you making?"

"Sandwiches." Akaashi bluntly replied, moving on to chop some lettuce. "We have leftover chicken from last night, so we might as well finish it."

"Mm." Sakusa leaned a bit closer, his eyes scanning the vegetables on the cutting board.

"I cleaned them twice, Sakusa-san."

"Cooking the vegetables would be safer."

"It's weird to cook vegetables for a sandwich though…?"

"What if there's still bacteria on it?" Sakusa grumbled disapprovingly. "It's safer to cook it."

"I-I guess I could try to grill the vegetables…?" Akaashi scanned the kitchen, his eyes lingering at their stove. "I probably don't even have the right pan-"

"Just cook it somehow." Sakusa straightened and turned his attention away from Akaashi, his eyes catching sight of the slices of bread that his roommate had set out on a plate. "Even if you boil it."

"What kind of sandwiches do you eat…" Akaashi muttered under his breath, turning to wash his hands before preparing to do what Sakusa asked. "I'm not going to boil it, I'll just...heat it up on a pan." Akaashi brandished a medium-sized fry pan as if trying to seek approval from Sakusa on his cookware of choice.

Sakusa gave a satisfied nod.

Leaning against the adjacent counter, Sakura watched as Akaashi tossed one thing after another onto the pan. Once the vegetables were done to Sakusa's preference, Akaashi toasted the bread and spread mayonnaise on each slice before reheating the chicken. Within minutes, Akaashi finished assembling the sandwiches, leaning against the opposite counter as he offered Sakusa the plate with his sandwich.

"Thanks for the meal." Sakusa took the plate, picked up his sandwich, glaring at it for a few moments, then took a careful bite.

"It's just a sandwich. I'm not poisoning you." Akaashi took a bite of his sandwich as well, chewing through it thoughtfully.

"I can never know with how you prepared it just now."

"You watched me season everything with salt and pepper, not dirt." Sakusa almost choked on his food, taking a few moments to recover from the tragic statement before responding.

"I'll clean the vegetables next time."

"Pardon?"

"You probably didn't use soap."

"Of course not. Who uses soap to wash their vegetables? I suppose you want me washing the rice with soap too?"

"That sounds like a lovely idea." Sakusa smirked from behind his sandwich, finding enjoyment in tugging on Akaashi's patience. Akaashi merely sighed, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"I'm just going to tell you that cleaning your vegetables and rice with soap is not recommended."

“Hmm.” Sakusa chewed through his food thoroughly, watching as Akaashi finished his sandwich and worked on cleaning up the kitchen. He remained where he was, only moving slightly when Akaashi approached him with a towel to wipe down the counter he was leaning on. Once his sandwich was consumed, Sakusa placed the plate in the sink, washed his hands, and went back to watching volleyball games through the sounds of clanging dishes and running water.

Sakusa wished he could just focus on the game in front of him, but the previous conversation clouded his thoughts. Truthfully, he wanted to see how far he could push Akaashi before the normally calm boy snapped at him. While it was definitely something deranged, Sakusa had hoped to see Akaashi in a frustrated state, even if it was just a little. 

‘ _Dealing with Bokuto Koutarou must have diluted him from most nonsense..._ ’

Noises from the kitchen ceased. Out of the corner of his eye, Sakusa watched Akaashi walk back to his room with a mug in his hands, presumably tea.

“Akaashi.”

“Mm?” Akaashi stopped in his tracks, turning around to face Sakusa.

“Make lunch for me again.”

“Right now?”

“No.” Sakusa readjusted himself, pulling his knees under his chin. “I want to bring lunch with me.”

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

[“It’s too troublesome to look for a place to eat lunch. And I’m already eating your breakfast and dinner anyway.”]

[“Making breakfast and dinner for you is already stressful enough.”]

[“What’s one more meal?”]

[“You should try to make food then.”]

[“So you’re saying no?”]

[“...No, I’ll make you something.”]

The conversation replayed in Akaashi’s head a few days later when he dragged himself out of bed early to make breakfast. He groaned softly as he checked the time, his legs carrying his aching body to the kitchen. He glanced towards the front door, noticing a pair of shoes missing from its usual spot.

Akaashi absentmindedly prepared breakfast and lunch, his own thoughts and quiet breaths accompanying him in the empty apartment. By the time Sakusa returned, Akaashi had packed his lunch, and breakfast was on the table.

He knew it was impossible to do this every day, but he made an effort to prepare food for himself and for Sakusa as often as he could. Unfortunately, that meant there would be a few days where he would not be able to cook, for whatever reason.

Akaashi had stayed up late during an early summer night to study for a test he had the next day and had slept through his alarm, waking up later than usual. Initially, Akaashi was going to walk out of his room and tell Sakusa to buy food, but he was shocked to see Sakusa with a knife in his hands, pacing the length of their kitchen.

‘ _This is it, he’s tired of me. This is how I die._ ’

Sakusa finally noticed Akaashi frozen in the hallway and stopped pacing, their eyes meeting across the apartment. Akaashi thought it was impossible for his heart to be beating so forcefully against his chest.

“Good morning.”

Akaashi wished he had noticed sooner that Sakusa had the voice of a killer hunting for his next victim.

“Why are you holding a knife?” Akaashi brushed past the greeting, getting straight to the point. 

“I wanted to make breakfast.”

“Walking around with a knife is not how you make breakfast.”

“I didn’t know what to make.”

“So you’re holding a knife!?”

“Is there something wrong with that?” Sakusa looked down at the knife, then back up at Akaashi.

“You look like you’re plotting murder.”

“Oh.” Sakusa turned around, putting the knife back where it came from. Akaashi heaved a deep sigh of relief, making his way into the kitchen.

“You haven’t eaten?”

“No.”

“Let’s go out and find something to eat. I’m not in the mood to prepare something.”

“Oh.” The tone in Sakusa’s voice dropped slightly, and Akaashi raised his eyebrows.

“I can just get something in the store while you wait.”

“I’ll come with you…” Sakusa muttered under his breath, walking past Akaashi. “Let me shower first.”

By the next hour, the two of them had prepared themselves to go out, or rather, Akaashi got ready for the hot summer day and his afternoon class while Sakusa packed his volleyball bag and donned his face mask. While Akaashi unfortunately had a test to complete, Sakusa only had practice that day but wanted to arrive early to do some drills.

“You’re wearing a jacket in this weather?” Akaashi stared at Sakusa’s jacket, the same one that Sakusa placed on his shoulders the previous summer.

“Better than nothing.” Sakusa swung his bag over his shoulder, stuffed his hands into his pockets, and followed Akaashi out of their apartment.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, the two of them stood in front of a bakery, taking in the scent of freshly baked bread.

“This is where we’re getting breakfast?”

“I even chose a decent location for you. Come on.” Akaashi held the door open for Sakusa, watching as his roommate warily entered. The bakery doubled as a cafe, and while it was still early in the morning, there was a sizable line and a moderate amount of people picking up some baked goods. Akaashi was the one that responded to the welcome from the cashier before picking up a tray. “Everything in this store is individually wrapped from the kitchen, so you don’t have to worry about someone walking in and touching everything.” He spoke softly, just loud enough for Sakusa to hear him when Akaashi turned his head towards him.

It took a surprising amount of effort to keep himself from erupting into laughter. One glance at Sakusa’s face was enough for anyone to back away, but for Akaashi, it was the definition of amusing. Sakusa glared intensely at everything in the store, a dark cloud forming over his features. With every passing minute, Akaashi felt Sakusa drift closer to him, the look of agony deepening in his eyes.

“What do you want?”

“I don’t care, just choose something, and let’s go.”

“Hmm...I’m not sure what I want.” Akaashi repressed his smile as he slowly walked down one of the several display aisles, carefully reading each description. After a minute of silence between then, he turned to Sakusa. “Have you-”

“Just…” Sakusa’s eyes darted between the aisles before he pointed to their right. “This one.”

“A ham and cheese croissant? That’s not going to feed both of us.”

“Ugh.” Sakusa shuffled down the aisle, pointing at a few other bread products. Akaashi followed him, taking one of whatever he pointed and plopping it onto the tray. After choosing a few items, Sakusa retreated back to Akaashi’s shoulder.

“That’s it?” Akaashi stared down at the tray before lifting his eyes up in case Sakusa gave him a physical confirmation instead of a verbal one.

He wished he had just stared at the tray instead.

Sakusa’s face was twisted into a reflection of pure disgust, and his eyes stared straight through Akaashi, gleaming with a hint of resentment. Akaashi knew what Sakusa was going to say even though Sakusa kept his mouth shut to avoid the concerned glances by the other patrons of the bakery.

_If you don’t pick something and pay in the next two minutes, I will chew you up and spit you out so hard that you’ll wish you had been born in a different century._

Akaashi quickly turned around, balancing the tray in one hand while the other worked quickly to fill the tray with other goods, especially with a few sandwiches for the two of them. Before he knew it, the two of them were out of the bakery. As they made their way to the school, Akaashi wiped down each of Sakusa’s selections before putting it into his volleyball bag while his own were in the bag provided by the store.

“I’m never going with you again.”

“You offered to come with me.” Akaashi sighed, throwing away the disinfecting wipe that Sakusa had shoved into his hand the moment they exited the bakery. He handed Sakusa the ham and cheese croissant. “Here.”

Sakusa stared at it for a moment before hesitantly taking it from Akaashi’s grasp. Akaashi took out a curry bun, and the two of them continued in silence. By the time they arrived at their university, Sakusa had eaten through three of his bakery goods while Akaashi was finishing his second. Akaashi held his hand out and Sakusa wordlessly gave him the plastic bags that once held delicious bread.

“You eat quickly.”

“I need energy for practice.” Sakusa murmured, pulling his face mask up from his chin as he eyed the other students on campus. Before they parted ways, Akaashi spoke up again.

“It was good, right?”

“...Yeah.”

§ § § § § § § § §

Little by little, Sakusa warmed up to the bakery, and the two of them would occasionally stop by for something to eat before heading to class or practice. While Akaashi was still the one picking up everything, Sakusa became more vocal about what he wanted— if more pointing even counted as being outspoken about his preferences.

On the last day of the semester, after all of their exams were complete, the two of them relaxed on the couch in their living room. A box of potato croquettes sat on the table in front of them. It took a bit of convincing, but Akaashi managed to persuade Sakusa to buy them as a treat for finishing the semester. They snacked on the fried treat, watching a volleyball game from Sakusa’s bottomless repertoire in preparation for his training camp.

“You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to.” Sakusa’s voice interrupted the silence between them. Akaashi turned his head slightly to acknowledge his roommate’s words before looking back at the television screen.

“I don’t have much else to do.” Akaashi shrugged. “Besides, I enjoy analyzing games.”

“Mm.” Sakusa finished the croquette that was in his hands before wiping them with a napkin. Akaashi reached into the box for another, only to realize that there was only one left. He nudged the box closer to Sakusa as he stood to wash his hands. After properly washing and drying his hands, something his roommate embarrassingly taught him the moment he caught sight of how Akaashi originally performed these actions, he returned to his seat, his eyes returning to the screen.

“You aren’t going to eat it?” Sakusa held up the box, tilting it slightly at Akaashi.

“You can have it.” Akaashi waved a hand in dismissal. Sakusa turned the box to himself, staring at the last croquette for a moment. As he ate it, the two of them turned their attention back to the game, which was just a few points from concluding. Unconsciously, Akaashi’s hands came together to stretch each of his fingers, a habit he had developed since he began playing volleyball many years ago. Sakusa turned off the recording as the last point was scored.

“Do you have anything to do today?”

“No, not really.” Akaashi stretched his arms out in front of him.

“Set for me.” Sakusa pushed himself off the sofa, taking the box and following Akaashi’s previous steps to the kitchen to wash his hands and dispose of the box. Akaashi simply stared at Sakusa’s back, baffled.

“I’m sorry?”

“I want to practice.” Sakusa dried his hands, making his way to his room. “You have time.”

“What about your team’s setter?” Akaashi scrambled off the couch, following his roommate down the hallway to their rooms.

“He went home today for some family business before the camp.” Sakusa entered his room, packing his volleyball bag. Akaashi stood by the doorway, frowning slightly.

“I haven’t been practicing-”

“That’s fine.” Sakusa reemerged from his room with his bag slung over a shoulder, stopping in front of Akaashi as he closed the door to his room. “It’ll come back to you when you’re on the court.” Akaashi took a breath to respond, but by that time, his head had drifted upwards and his eyes settled on Sakusa’s face.

“I don’t suppose you have somewhere to practice?” Akaashi stepped to the side, taking a few strides past Sakusa to a door at the opposite side of the hallway.

“We can use the school’s gym.”

“They’ll let us in?” Akaashi entered his room, grabbing a drawstring bag to carry his phone, wallet, water bottle, towel, and a change of clothes. Because of the scorching heat that summer brought that day, Akaashi was already in a loose shirt and shorts, which he figured was fine for practicing.

“As long as we take care of everything. Stop asking questions. You’ve decided to go by now.” Sakusa scowled as Akaashi joined him again in the hallway, the unpleasant expression showing up on his features through his face mask.

“Relax. I’m just making sure we won’t get in trouble.” A modest smile hung on Akaashi’s lips as the two of them made their way back to the university. The hum of summer insects filled the air, just loud enough that the silence between the two of them did not bother Akaashi. It was a cloudy but humid day, the sky laced with thick clouds that shielded them from the majority of the afternoon rays.

Halfway to their destination, out of the corner of his eye, Akaashi noticed Sakusa warming up his hands, something he was familiar with in the many walks they have had together. While he had only witnessed the routine a few times, it was enough to know that it was a lengthy and careful process. It started with his fingers, stretching them slowly just as Akaashi would. By the time they reached their school, Sakusa had moved to massage his wrists. He allowed Sakusa to lead him to one of the gyms, patiently waiting behind him as Sakusa retrieved the keys associated with the building from a staff member.

As expected, they entered an empty gymnasium. Sakusa flipped enough switches for one of the two courts, the lights blaring to life with an audible snap and gentle hum. The two of them made their way to a bench, where Sakusa dropped his bag before heading to a set of double doors at the opposite wall, which Akaashi assumed was the storage room.

As Sakusa dragged out the cart of volleyballs, Akaashi took the time to stretch while looking around the colossal room. It could be defined as a miniature stadium as there were plenty of seating areas along the sides, and there was a second floor for extra seating.

“Akaashi.” Sakusa’s voice echoed ever so slightly in the empty hall. “The net.” Akaashi jogged over, helping Sakusa carry the net to the midpoint of the court. Once the net was set up, Sakusa began his warm-up.

“You don’t need to warm-up that much. We’re just doing a few spikes, right?” Akaashi watched as Sakusa positioned himself on the floor to stretch his arms and legs.

“Even if it’s just a little practice, you have to warm up your entire body. You’re putting yourself at risk of injury if you don’t.”

“That’s true.” Akaashi seated himself about a meter and a half in front of Sakusa, digging through his memory to remind himself of how he stretched when he played volleyball. He failed to keep his eyes off of the person in front of him, though; Sakusa’s arms were gracefully extended in front of him, reaching out for an unseen point on the floor, his head tucked in. What amazed Akaashi the most was that Sakusa was practically doing the splits with little difficulty.

“Stop staring.” Akaashi blinked his way out of his daze, noticing that Sakusa had raised his head to glare at him.

“I’m impressed with how flexible you are.” Sakusa narrowed his eyes slightly as he pulled his legs in, his arms still extended as he worked on bending his wrists, pressing the insides of his hands completely against his arm. Akaashi brought his feet together, pulling them as close to his body as he could. “Have you always been this flexible?”

“Yeah.” Sakusa pushed his upper body slightly forward. “Stop staring.”

“Sorry.” Akaashi averted his eyes to the ground, feeling his face heat up slightly. After a minute of silence, Sakusa pushed himself off the floor, approaching the volleyball cart.

“Let’s start. I want to get back before dark.”

It was a painfully slow start. Sakusa would bump the ball towards Akaashi, who would set it into position. At first, their timing was off. Then the ball would end up too low, and any that Sakusa did hit were flimsy at best. Six missed tosses. But, once Akaashi was able to see Sakusa in action, from his jump to his swing, he was able to adjust the position of the ball to best suit his spiker.

_His spiker._

Akaashi fumbled the ninth ball that came his way, setting it too far in his panic to get it under his fingertips. He apologized, weaving past Sakusa to retrieve it. As he picked up the ball, he could feel Sakusa’s cold glare drill into his back.

‘ _Pull yourself together, Keiji._ ’

Akaashi lobbed the ball back at Sakusa, who calmly caught it and stepped back to try again. This time, Akaashi set it perfectly; the satisfying yet powerful sounds of the ball meeting Sakusa’s palm and then the floor echoing in the empty gym. He looked to see where the ball ended up before turning to Sakusa, who simply picked up another ball.

“Nice kill.”

“Again.”

This continued until the cart was empty, the other side of the court littered with brightly colored balls. Akaashi ducked under the net, picking up the stray balls. Sakusa went over to their belongings to take a small break, tilting his head back to take a drink from his water bottle. Akaashi joined him on the bench a few minutes later, pulling out his towel to wipe the sweat off his face. His shirt stuck to his skin uncomfortably, so he pulled the collar of his shirt forward, fanning himself as he stared off into space.

The brief exercise vividly reminded Akaashi of his first encounter with Bokuto at Fukurodani. He could visualize it, almost taste it on the tip of his tongue, the moment Bokuto spiked the first of his tosses. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and he was transported back to their numerous games together. The rush of adrenaline when he served, the thousands of possibilities that circled through his head when he got ready to set the ball to one of his teammates, the relief of victory, the anguish of defeat.

That was years ago, but Sakusa reminded him of how much he still loved volleyball.

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

Despite having told Akaashi to stop staring less than an hour ago, Sakusa threw his own words down the gutter when he turned his head at Akaashi’s movements, his hands gripping the back of the bench to balance his body as he tilted backward. Akaashi must be thinking about something blissful; he faced the ceiling, his eyelids obscuring the color of his eyes, a dreamy smile turned the corners of his lips upwards, too little to notice at first glance.

Sakusa lost count of the number of times his heartbeat flooded his ears as he ripped his eyes away from the scene, staring straight towards the dark side of the gym.

‘ _It’s from practice._ ’

“Are you tired?” Sakusa kept his head facing forward, only moving his eyes to see if Akaashi would respond.

“No.”

“One more round, then we’ll head back.”

“Sure.”

§ § § § § § § § §

After their practice session, the two of them stopped by a convenience store that was across the street from the university. During the previous year, Sakusa had been there often to stock up on cleaning products when they still lived in the dormitory but was still hesitant to enter. Akaashi shot him a judging stare before going in alone, coming out just a few minutes later having purchased two cups of instant ramen and two onigiris.

They had always made their meals from scratch, so instant ramen was scarcely found in their kitchen. That day, though, Akaashi insisted they eat something simple and easy to prepare, as it was too late to make a full meal before a reasonable time. The sky had darkened overhead to a navy blue with traces of violet, amber, and canary yellow, visible through the thinly dispersed greying clouds. Sakusa adjusted his mask slightly before slipping his hand back into the pockets of his zipped up jacket. They were just a few blocks from the shared apartment when Akaashi’s voice reached his ears.

“Thanks for inviting me to play.”

“Why are you thanking me?”

“No reason.”

“That’s not something you say randomly.”

“Can’t you just accept it?” A chuckle passed through Akaashi’s lips. It took a moment for Sakusa to process it, and when he realized what he had heard, he could only blink in confusion, his eyes drifting downwards to stare at the source of his surprise.

It was a sound so foreign to Sakusa. Not a single laugh was exchanged between the two of them before. He had heard others laugh, but not Akaashi. It was too new, too unknown. It irritated him.

He wanted to hear it again. He would get used to it. He would know how to respond to it. He would prepare for the next time it happened.

If he could just hear it again, then he would be accustomed to it.

Sakusa was glad a face mask separated most of his reaction from Akaashi’s sideways glance. He must have been a bit too silent.

“Then, you’ll practice with me again?”

“Just until your setter comes back.” They stopped at an intersection, the red light flaring in front of them. “I can’t keep this up after summer vacation.”  
  
The light flickered green, and their feet lifted off of the ground in unison.

§ § § § § § § § §

The day before Sakusa was set to leave for training camp was filled with rain. Sakusa sat on the couch with his tilted head propped up on his knees, staring miserably through the glass balcony doors and into the downpour that had persisted throughout the afternoon and was now slipping into the evening.

“You don’t like rain?”

“Not particularly.” Sakusa lifted his head, turning to face his roommate while stretching his legs into the air in front of him. His legs had been pulled up to his chest for so long that a gentle ache traveled from his thighs to his toes as he stretched his body. “At least, not today.” Akaashi stared out into the world that Sakusa had been observing for the past hour before heading into the kitchen.

“Did you finish packing?”

“Yeah.”

“Come help with dinner.” Akaashi carefully threw the fridge door open as he said this, leaning down and peering at the contents inside. “What do you want?”

“Anything is fine.”

Two hours later, satisfied with the meal and cleaning that followed, Sakusa joined Akaashi on the couch, sitting on the opposite end. The distant sound of raindrops colliding with the surfaces on their balcony rang dimly in the background. Akaashi had switched through the channels to find something interesting to watch, which happened to be a volleyball match. Sakusa leaned his elbow against the armrest, cradling his chin in his hand as he watched the game.

“Do you want to watch something else?” Akaashi held the remote out to Sakusa, an offering with his words.

“No.”

“We always watch volleyball.”

“Is there something wrong with that?” Sakusa’s lips barely moved as he buried the lower half of his face deeper into his palm, partially covering his mouth.

“No.” Akaashi went back to toying with his fingers after setting the remote on the coffee table, a habit that Sakusa knew all too well and could easily catch from the tiniest corner of his eye.

If his roommate’s hands were empty, they searched for something to do.

At least, that was how Sakusa understood Akaashi’s tendency to stretch his already lengthy fingers; he truly never bothered to ask about the proper explanation for it.

“A match is more enjoyable in person, don’t you think?” A question that came out of dead silence. Sakusa wondered if Akaashi was searching for things to talk about.

“It’s better if you’re playing.” Sakusa grumbled, his eyes still trained on the digital screen. He drowned out the energetic cries of the commentator, only able to understand Akaashi’s next words.

“Can I come to your next game, then?”

“...Do what you want.”

§ § § § § § § § §

Akaashi was absent from the first game of the season. He had a test the next day to study for.

He missed the second game as well. At the last minute, a friend frantically asked him for help with his project.

He missed every game leading up to the last. By then, his college had secured a high enough position in the standings to skip the first round of the upcoming tournament.

Tomorrow’s game was the last of the season before the anticipated tournament held during the first week of December, and it was conveniently held at their university. He was called out of his room by his roommate’s voice, informing him that his early dinner was prepared.

Sakusa expected another reason why Akaashi would be at his desk instead of in the audience. By now, he would be confident enough to bet that Akaashi could be found in his room instead of the library, or out on a walk, or a cafe chatting with a friend, or a part of the crowd that would cheer loudly after every successful point.

It was a good thing he was not a gambler, he thought to himself.

If Akaashi planned to leave the house, on the rare occasions that he did, he would have a plain backpack with some essential items sitting on the table next to the door, just inches from tipping the bottle of hand sanitizer over the edge. The black backpack was there when Sakusa glanced at the door.

“Are you heading out?”

“Yeah. You have a game today, right?” Akaashi placed the plate of rice and curry in front of Sakusa as he settled into his regular seat before heading back into the kitchen for his serving.

“You’re finally going.”

“I’m a man of my word.”

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

The game was held in the same gymnasium that he and Sakusa practiced in months ago. He sat towards the top of the stands, lucky enough to find a seat right at the net’s position. Despite being at the edge of the audience, the thunderous roars and cheers of the crowd still shook Akaashi to his core, to the point where he could not resist the urge to smile as he gave a modest yet deserved applause at the performance.

The final score was 3-1, with the home team barely managing to close the last set. Akaashi watched as their team celebrated the win, bouncing into each other’s arms. Of course, Sakusa avoided the physical celebrations, only moving his mouth for brief moments to respond to his teammates. His teammates respected that, simply giving him a firm pat on the back, doing their best to avoid directly touching him.

Akaashi weaved his way out of the building, waiting just outside the exit that was closest to the locker rooms. There was virtually no one on this side of the building since there were plenty of exits closer to the stands that can be used; it was much quieter here, but just as safe a place to wait as there were lamps illuminating the way back to the main path. He waited under one of the lamps, visible from the exit, rocking on his heels as he watched his breath materialize in the evening November air.

‘ _He wouldn’t want to shower here._ ’ Akaashi reasoned with himself. ‘ _As soon as their captain lets them go, he’ll want to leave._ ’

Sure enough, the moment the thought concluded, the sound of one of the doors opening filled the icy air. Akaashi straightened, turning his head slightly to confirm who had left the building before his feet moved to start the journey back to the apartment. Sakusa caught up to him in a few strides, adjusting his bag as he slowed down to Akaashi’s pace.

“Congratulations.”

“Mm.”

“You played well today.”

No reply.

“Are you hungry?”

“Just a little.” Sakusa spoke softly, his words barely passing through his face mask.

“What do you want?”

“A shower.” Sakusa groaned bitterly, his shoulders growing tense. “Can you walk any slower?”

“Well, if you put it that way…” Akaashi slowed his stride, earning him a sour look from his roommate who did not follow his example. Akaashi was sure he was glaring at the slight smirk on his face. “You did not have to walk with me.”

“I’m not that much of a jerk.”

“At least you’re self-aware.” Another disapproving mumble escaped Sakusa’s lips in reply. Akaashi hurriedly returned to Sakusa’s side, then accelerated to a tempo that was a bit below a power walk. This time, Sakusa willingly copied, having little trouble keeping up with Akaashi’s smaller strides.

“Thank you.”

“I am finally successful in getting you to say those two words.”

“Shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translucent - Something that allows light to pass through. However, it is not completely transparent.
> 
> —————
> 
> This chapter ended up being longer than I had planned, haha. It took a while, but it is done!  
> There were quite a few errors when I went through and reread the chapter; I hope I was able to catch them all...  
> I have been writing in Akaashi's point of view quite a lot, so I am aiming to write more from Sakusa's point of view in the next chapter.  
> I have a feeling the next chapter will be equally as long, if not longer, and I just barely started it, so I thank you for your patience while I work on it!
> 
> I hope you have been enjoying this story so far~ ♪


	3. Year 3 - Opalescent

Sakusa Kiyoomi considered himself lucky that Akaashi Keiji was shuffled as his roommate.

His life was easier, calmer, safer. Akaashi pulled his weight around the dormitory the first year and continued to pull his weight at their shared apartment.

Akaashi kept the space orderly; each cabinet in the kitchen was assigned to a specific piece of kitchenware, food was tetrised in the refrigerator and freezer in a way that was systematic and simple, the chairs for the dining table were always pushed in, the remotes for the television were positioned at a specific corner of the coffee table when not in use. Sakusa knew where to find what he needed and never asked Akaashi for assistance.

Akaashi kept the apartment clean, frequently working alongside Sakusa during one of his cleaning sprees; he swept and mopped the floors with him, wiped down every surface with him, even helped him move some of the heavy furniture to sanitize unreachable areas. At first, he complained about the extremes that Sakusa insisted must be done, but helped him anyway. At first, he would cough at the fumes of the cleaning products and at the dust that happened to pile up below the couch, to the point where Sakusa insisted and nearly forced a face mask on him. Cleaning the apartment was swift, smooth, and almost effortless when Akaashi was by his side.

The list of what Akaashi does around their apartment continuously grows. The list was long, unrecorded except in Sakusa's thoughts.

It made him inexplicably elated.

§ § § § § § § § §

Their third year at university began a few weeks ago, and Sakusa found himself staying up later than usual to finish the mountainous pile of work he was receiving. It was not enough that he would have to pull all nighters despite how many hours he dedicated to volleyball, but enough to have to shift his sleep schedule a bit.

Sakusa was always welcomed back into their apartment with a warm meal; Akaashi was mindful enough to finish preparing the meal the moment Sakusa’s shower concluded instead of the moment he walked through the front door. They enjoyed dinner together, typically discussing their plans for the next day. They spoke little, but it was enough to get them through the meal.

Recently, though, Sakusa began noticing cracks in this established routine.

“Did you eat already?” Sakusa had just walked out of the bathroom, a small towel wrapped around his neck to catch the droplets dripping from his hair.

“Yeah.” Akaashi stopped in the middle of the hallway, turning back to face Sakusa. “I have some work to do, so I ate something earlier.”

“Oh.”

“Enjoy your meal. Let me know when you’re done, and I’ll wash the dishes.”

“I’ll do them tonight.” Sakusa stared at his roommate, scanning his features for anything unusual. In the few seconds that Akaashi had twisted his body to respond to him, Sakusa was not able to read his expression. “You can work.”

Akaashi simply nodded. Moments later, the sound of a door clicking shut faintly vibrated through the air.

Dinner was too quiet for Sakusa’s liking.

§ § § § § § § § §

_‘This is the seventh time this month.’_

Sakusa failed to realize that he was keeping track of how many times Akaashi left him to eat dinner alone until that mid-May evening. He never cared about someone else’s eating habits, only focusing on his own, making sure he was well nourished for all of the activity he did. Akaashi was his roommate, though, and if he caught an illness, that meant Sakusa was at risk as well.

_‘He just sits in his room all day, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t eat properly.'_

It did not take long for Sakusa to notice that there were never enough dishes for there to have been two eaters. He even went through the cabinets, believing that Akaashi must have washed and dried his plates before he arrived. If he could not catch a whiff of the lemony soap they used for their dishes, it must not have been used recently.

None of the plates resting at the top of their piles passed the test.

Once Sakusa was finished eating and rinsing and drying the dishes, he went straight to his room, only stopping briefly to stare at the closed door that led to Akaashi’s room. He heard nothing but his own breathing.

Sakusa enjoyed working on the floor. He had set up a low table and a cushion at one corner of his room. While working there, he would stretch his legs out into various positions, and when his neck began to hurt from leaning over the short legged table, he would move back to his desk. The rest of the night was dedicated to finishing as much of his work as he could. There was no need to wake up too early in the morning, so he self-imposed a deadline of midnight to complete his work. 

By the time his pencil completed the last problem, the digital clock on the nightstand beside his bed beamed 23:54. He stretched his entire body as he pushed himself away from his desk, heading to the bathroom to start his nightly routine.

Once finished, he started back to his room, but stopped with his hand on the doorknob. Sakusa’s eyes were fixed on Akaashi’s door, as if expecting him to come out of his room at any moment.

Nothing happened.

In a few long strides, before he could even talk himself out of it, Sakusa loomed in front of his roommate’s room, his knuckles firmly tapping on the wooden door twice.

Nothing happened.

Another two knocks.

Nothing happened.

He took a deep breath, wrapped his fingers around the doorknob, and pushed the door open.

“Akaashi.”

No response.

Sakusa widened the gap, the light from the hallway spilling into the room. For a moment, Sakusa was sure Akaashi was asleep, and he was mere seconds away from facing a groggy Akaashi if he continued. However, a quick glance at the bed told him otherwise; it was neatly made, as expected, but the covers gave no indication that there was a body underneath.

_‘What is he doing out at this hour? I didn’t hear him say he was leaving…’_

He glared suspiciously at the bed before stepping into the room, scanning the room as he entered. Akaashi’s desk was empty, and his laptop was missing from the usual spot. Though, Sakusa did not have to wonder where it and its owner went for long; a quick glance to the floor beside the bed gave him all the answers he needed.

Obscured from Sakusa’s initial glance around the room by the bed, snuggled between the bedframe and the wall, the shape of a curled-up human can be seen on the floor, wrapped delicately with a large wool blanket. Sakusa recognized it, but he had only seen it once, when Akaashi brought it out to the couch to watch a recording of one of Bokuto’s games a few months ago.

Upon seeing it on the floor of all places, he immediately believed a murderer had wandered into the apartment and took the life of his roommate.

He was _not_ going to touch that.

A soft exhale of air crushed Sakusa’s wild assumption, much to his relief. The blanket stirred for a few seconds, the person underneath shifting their position to lay more comfortably.

_On the floor._

Eerie silence settled. It took Sakusa a moment to crouch, hesitant fingertips brushing against the wooden planks that lined the ground. They bumped into something soft, something Sakusa could only assume was a futon.

_‘Does he regularly sleep on the floor?’_

Inching as close as possible, Sakusa shook his head disapprovingly as his hand reached over to tug on the blanket near what he assumed was the shoulder. After a few tries, a drowsy groan acknowledged the disturbance, the blanket falling away from Akaashi’s shoulders as he sat up, propped by his hands momentarily.

For the first time, Sakusa was directly at eye level with his roommate. Akaashi’s eyelids drooped lazily over metallic blue, the sharp look now replaced with one of fatigue. His hair was lightly tousled, long fingers reaching up to comb through the mess.

“Did you need something, Sakusa-san?” Akaashi’s hushed words slurred together slightly, a sign of his exhaustion. Even having just woken up, Sakusa could still tell that the usual acuteness of Akaashi’s voice had dimmed. Sakusa’s heartbeat quickened as he pulled his arm back, resting his hands on his knees.

“I came to check on you.”

“How kind.”

Even sleepy, his bluntness shines through. Sakusa narrowed his eyes, not saying a word. Akaashi rubbed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths to recollect himself before repeating his question.

“Did you need something?”

“Why are you on the floor? Your bed is right there.” Sakusa jutted his chin slightly to the left, where Akaashi’s untouched bed loomed rather close to where he was just resting.

“I was just going to take a nap.”

“At this hour?” Sakusa’s usual poker face contorted into a condemning expression. “Are you insane?”

“I have a lot of work to do.”

“Sleep is more important.”

“I sleep plenty when I take naps here and there.”

“...You aren’t actually _sleeping_?”

“The naps add up to six hours; seven, if I’m generous.” Akaashi casually responded, twisting his body behind him and reaching around for his phone.

“Go to sleep. _Properly_.” Having successfully retrieved his phone, Akaashi stared at the screen for a brief second before turning back to Sakusa, his expression a bit more lively than before.

“Mm. You woke me up twenty minutes before my alarm went off.”

“Bed. _Now_.”

“I’ll sleep later, I’ll get this report done-”

“Akaashi.” A blank stare filled Sakusa’s vision. Sakusa forced himself to look away, giving his pounding heart a few deserving moments to settle. When he turned his head back to his roommate, Akaashi’s gaze was unwavering, unaware of what was racing through Sakusa’s mind.

“I’ll sleep. _Properly._ Just let me finish the report.”

“You can do it _tomorrow_.” Sakusa pushed the sentence through his teeth, annoyed. He was beginning to feel a strong sense of disdain towards this conversation, and his mind quickly worked through the reasoning. Akaashi was his own person, and he could do what he wanted without Sakusa hovering over him, controlling his every move.

It was his worn movements, his drained voice, his eyes weakly fixating on Sakusa’s own, all a result of his own actions.

Akaashi was letting his wellbeing slip through his fingers, willingly observant as it crumbled into powdery dust.

“Just thirty minutes.” Akaashi breathed the sentence through a fragile breath.

“Fifteen.” A noticeable flinch at Sakusa’s harsh offer.

“Fine.”

“I’m bringing my stuff over.”

“What?”

“Fifteen minutes.” Sakusa’s legs wobbled ever so slightly as his tense leg muscles lifted his body upright. Akaashi scrambled over to his computer, which Sakusa now noticed was placed on a low table similar to the one in his room, tucked against the corner, between the wall and bed frame.

He left the room, retrieved his own blanket, pillow, and futon, and carried the items back into Akaashi’s room. The fierce clicks of Akaashi’s fingers pushing against the keys welcomed him, a definite upgrade from the dead silence just minutes ago. Sakusa flipped the switch next to the door, bright rays chasing the darkness out of the room. An audible grunt, a brief pause in the keys, and then another storm of taps. Sakusa set up his sleeping area on the opposite side of the bed, carefully avoiding any of Akaashi’s belongings that happen to reside on the floor. His futon was bordered by Akaashi’s bed on one side, his closet on the opposite, and two objects at the foot end. Akaashi’s single drawer nightstand stood flush against the wall, a book resting on its surface. Beside it was his laundry basket, half full. Other than that, Akaashi’s floor was cleared of clutter. Sakusa pushed Akaashi’s closet doors shut, uninterested in whatever secrets they held within.

He had a vague sense of how much time passed as he approached Akaashi.

“I have nine more minutes.”

“I know.” His eyes strayed from his roommate’s temporary work station to his desk. An empty rectangular outline was all that remained of Akaashi’s laptop, flanked by stacks upon stacks of papers and books of varying sizes. While there was a neat order to them, a few stray pages littered the tops of the piles. Sakusa caught sight of the mug Akaashi used frequently, now empty. He picked up the mug, took another glance at the owner, and left the room.

Sakusa reentered the room several minutes later empty-handed, having made sure the apartment was securely locked and the lights to the other rooms were turned off. Akaashi looked over the bed at Sakusa, then turned back to his laptop.

“Two minutes.”

“That’s enough.” Sakusa stood by his futon, his hands on his hips. “You got it done?”

“Yeah, and a bit of my research paper.” Akaashi powered down his laptop, taking it back to his desk to recharge it.

“Should have stopped when you finished.”

“You gave me fifteen minutes.”

“If I had given you thirty, would you have stopped?” Sakusa received a silent glare. “Go brush your teeth.”

“Stop telling me what to do.” Contrary to his words, Akaashi left the room rather quickly, his sleeve brushing ever so slightly against Sakusa’s arm as he breezed past.

Five minutes later, darkness enveloped the room. Sakusa made sure Akaashi had entered his bed and not his futon before settling into his own futon, his ever present frown plastered on his lips.

“Why are you sleeping here?” Akaashi’s resonant voice cut through the air as if demanding an answer.

“So you don’t wake up and go back to work.”

“Why?” Sakusa heard a rustle from the bed as he answered.

“You’re pushing your body past what it can reasonably do. You’re not eating, and you’re not sleeping. How are you still alive?”

“Tea. And coffee. Lots of it.”

Sakusa brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten a full meal?”

“...”

“I’ll cook tomorrow. Good night.”

“...Good night.”

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

The only thing Akaashi could comprehend was how sore his body was. His legs were unresponsive, and it took a considerable amount of energy to bring his hand to his face. It took even longer to pinpoint the source of his discomfort.

 _‘Too much sleep…'_ A heavy arm reached towards his phone on the nightstand.

10:22.

_'Definitely…’_

His outstretched arm fell limp onto his bed when he set his phone down, his hand hanging over the edge of his bed. Akaashi would have just laid there, basking in the silence and gentle warmth from his window, had he forgotten his work. Sadly, it was work that could not be ignored, and with a drawn out grunt, Akaashi sat up and threw his legs over the side of his bed, over the side that Sakusa slept at the previous night.

His toes came in contact with the wooden floors, as expected.

Akaashi shuffled his way out of his room only to be hit with the overpowering aroma of beef stew. In response, a loud protest from his stomach.

Making his way down the hallway with his weak legs, he found Sakusa hovering over the stove with a lid in one hand. With the other, he killed the flames with a quick flick of his wrist.

“Good morning.” Akaashi hoped his strained voice carried far enough to reach his roommate before he disappeared into the bathroom for his morning routine, which he had long since discovered was significantly shorter than Sakusa’s process.

In two minutes, Akaashi was seated at his normal position at the table, hungrily watching Sakusa ladle two spoonfuls of his creation beside fluffy rice in a decently sized bowl. The process repeated for another bowl, and he fished two spoons out of a drawer before making his way to the table.

Akaashi brought his hands together as the bowl was set in front of him, the spoon sticking out of the side with the steaming stew full of potatoes, carrots, chunks of meat, all marinating in a thick, luxurious brown gravy.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Sakusa turned his back to Akaashi again, heading back into the kitchen for a mug and a thermos. He placed both items in front of Akaashi before taking a seat.

“Ginger tea. Honey.”

“Thank you.”

Akaashi placed the thermos to the side for the time being, taking a careful sip from the mug. The scolding liquid reached the roof of his mouth, making its way smoothly down his throat. His nerves had gotten used to how fervid the liquids he commonly consumed were. This was nothing to the numerous times he downed freshly brewed coffee only to lose his sense of taste for the next few days. Akaashi placed the mug down slowly, enjoying the warm heat under his fingertips before he began to eat.

“I’m sorry about last night.” Akaashi watched Sakusa for a reaction. The reaction was anticipated; Sakusa simply stared at the table in front of him, the only indication of acknowledgement being a low grunt. Saksua properly chewed and swallowed his mouthful, averting his eyes as he grumbled an incomprehensible response under his breath.

§ § § § § § § § §

The absolute latest hour was negotiated to be 1:00 AM.

Anything later, and Sakusa would stay in his room, regardless of what he had to do the following day. His roommate even set an alarm in the event that he went to bed earlier, just so he could check on Akaashi to prevent an all nighter from happening.

Akaashi had to admit, it was quite amusing to see a normally kept Sakusa open his door with the enthusiasm and expression of a sloth just to utter one word and wait for a response.

Sakusa stayed in his room a total of four times in June. His face grew progressively darker each time, perhaps thinking about how Akaashi should have gotten the memo by now to quit overworking himself. Each time Akaashi told him about his plans to continue working, their eyes would clash momentarily before Akaashi would continue with the task at hand. By the next hour, they would be asleep. By morning, there would be no trace of Sakusa in Akaashi’s room.

The additional pressure to complete his work was unwanted, but Akaashi pushed through it, avoiding procrastination and needless thought. The quality of his assignments were more or less the same, and Akaashi wagered some of the finished products were better than anything he could have produced had Sakusa not noticed his degrading behavior.

His chaotic studying habits eventually subsided, allowing for the return of activities that Akaashi found great enjoyment in. Akaashi resumed jogging with Sakusa since dropping it in favor of his work several weeks ago. While it was less frequent than before, the extra time away from his desk was relieving, and Akaashi relished every moment of it. It took several jogs to push himself to Sakusa’s pace, which had substantially grown from previous years; but, while not much, the constant exercise unexpectedly eased the tension in Akaashi’s body.

Sadly, his cooking duties were partially relinquished. To give Akaashi more time to finish his endless pile of work, Sakusa claimed the early parts of the day to himself, preparing breakfast and occasionally lunch after his post-jog shower. Dinner, however, was entirely up to Akaashi, and his study materials could frequently be found on the kitchen counter in the evenings.

Akaashi enjoyed Sakusa’s cooking, but he often questioned why Sakusa waited so long before cooking a meal for both of them.

He kept the inquiry to himself, secretly encouraged by the shift.

§ § § § § § § § §

“Why are you squinting?”

“Hmm?” Akaashi turned his head towards Sakusa, surprised at his question. The two of them were seated on the couch at their usual positions. The warm afternoon slowly shifted into a chill evening just outside their balcony.

“Can you see?” Sakusa pointed at the television screen, which was currently displaying a live volleyball game. “What’s the score?”

“It’s…” Akaashi’s voice trailed, his eyes following the unseen line between the screen and Sakusa’s finger.

“No, stop.” A deep frown settled on Akaashi’s face as his gaze returned to his roommate.

“What?” Akaashi immediately bit his tongue when the word came out, noticing the faintest hint of annoyance in his voice.

“You’re doing it again.” Sakusa aimlessly waved his hand in the air. “Unconsciously, since you aren’t admitting it.”

“I can see just fine.” Akaashi insisted, turning back to the screen.

“What’s the score?” Akaashi sighed at the repeated question before widening his eyes as much as he could, making it obvious that he was _not_ squinting, focusing on the screen.

He could barely figure out what numbers the tiny black pixels were forming. Akaashi sighed, admitting defeat, spewing out an estimate based on what little he could distinguish.

“It’s 13-14.”

“18-19.”

_'Damn it.'_

“I’ll get them checked tomorrow.”

§ § § § § § § § §

Akaashi palmed the pair of glasses in his hand, examining every detail his ailing eyes could make out. Two weeks after visiting the optometrist, he received a call just after his writing seminar. An hour later, he was back at the shared apartment, standing in front of the bathroom mirror, his eyes barely focusing on the object meant to improve his eyesight. He lost track of how long the nonexistent staring contest between himself and the inanimate item lasted, the only audience to the showdown being his shallow breaths.

A knock interrupted his spiraling thoughts, ripping his attention away from his pair of glasses.

“Are you done?”

“Just a moment.”

“You’ve been in there for ten minutes.” A deep sigh could be heard on the other side. Akaashi bit down on his bottom lip, preventing himself from saying more.

Up until that point, he was never self conscious about his appearance. Admittedly, he was aware of the seemingly popular opinion that he possessed an above average visual appeal, and he masterfully ignored the comments of bystanders expressing their awe whenever he appeared in their line of sight. His only acknowledgement of such remarks were the responses he would give to his teammates, who seemed delighted to shove the comments into his face.

“ _Akaashi_.” The urgency in Sakusa’s voice snapped Akaashi out of his daze once again. He placed the pair of glasses back into their case, snapping the lid shut as he opened the door.

His roommate towered over him, angrily pinning him with the cursed glare that he was infamous for, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black sweatpants.

“Done crying?”

Akaashi’s brain worked quickly to come up with a response, knowing full well that Sakusa would have heard the sounds of any of the faucets in the bathroom or the flush of the toilet had Akaashi used them.

“I was admiring myself in the mirror.” Equally skilled in sarcasm as his roommate, this response was accompanied by a slight smirk. Sakusa’s eyes flicked away momentarily; their bodies were close enough that Akaashi caught Sakusa’s frame stiffening ever so slightly.

“Prefer yourself without glasses?” A response with humor matching Akaashi’s. Saksa jerked his elbow forward slightly, gesturing at the case in Akaashi’s hands to emphasize his question.

“Do you?”

“...Get out.” Akaashi sidestepped Sakusa’s athletic physique with his hand tightly clenching the glasses case, obeying the demanding words and heading straight to his room.

The last of Sakusa’s words followed him, lingering in his head minutes after their conversation.

“Put them on next time.”

The palest tinge of pink settled on Akaashi’s cheeks.

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

For once, Sakusa was completely unprepared.

The month of July was coming to a scorching end, and to prevent their electricity bill from skyrocketing, the two of them spent most of their time in the shared areas of the apartment, the air conditioning unit pushing soothing air into the living room.

While Sakusa was finished with the last of his exams, his roommate was studying for his last exam before summer vacation officially began. Because of how much time he had to dedicate to volleyball, Sakusa only took the classes he absolutely needed, but he was almost certain Akaashi was taking twice his amount. Perhaps he was pursuing a double major or a minor, though Sakusa never questioned him about it. Moreover, Akaashi never spoke about hanging out with someone unless it was school related; in the over two years they had lived together, Sakusa was seldom in their dormitory or apartment alone.

That day, Akaashi practically dragged his entire desk out onto the dining table to work in the cool oasis that the living area had become. Sakusa was busy with a workout between the television and couch having moved the coffee table to the side. He finished the set of one-handed pushups before leaning to the side to watch Akaashi set up his makeshift study area.

Akaashi wore his glasses sparingly, behind the closed doors of his room when he was in the shared apartment. When he needed them for the outside world, he would tuck them away in their case and into his bag, insisting that his eyesight was still capable of preventing him from walking into a ditch.

However, as he was standing over the table, his side profile fully available to Sakusa, he clearly saw the black frames resting on his roommate’s face. He jerked his head away so forcefully he felt the muscles in his neck straining at the force; his laboured breathing, coupled with the throbbing pulse in his chest, only added to the panic that was settling in his head.

_‘Don’t look, forget everything you saw.’_

Sakusa returned to his workout, which was another set of one-handed pushups with the other arm, training his ears on his rhythmic breathing instead of the sporadic rustling of papers. But no matter what he did, no matter how much information he tried to process regarding his workout, his thoughts were elsewhere.

The vivid image of his roommate pushed its way towards the front of his mind. Like every other sane human on the planet, Sakusa had to admit that Akaashi possessed a beauty unmatched by anyone he has ever seen in his life. While not one to dwell on looks, his cousin had discussed the subject to Sakusa occasionally, which forced Sakusa to linger on the topic for far longer than he would have liked.

Sakusa chewed on the inside of his bottom lip, pushing himself harder through the rest of the set. Once he finished, his other arm came down, his body assuming a planking position. He pressed his forehead against his forearms, his eyes closed for the duration of the exercise.

He ran through every instance where he and Akaashi came face to face, reliving the moments to their fullest. Of the handful occurrences, the image that strongly resonated in his mind was the incident a few days ago.

Akaashi had informed him of his detour to pick up his glasses that day, so Sakusa knew he would see a different Akaashi when he returned. While lifting weights in his room, Sakusa heard his roommate return, but before he could even react, the familiar sound of the bathroom door opening and shutting caught rang through the apartment. He chose to continue his exercise, waiting for the sounds that would indicate that Akaashi had left the bathroom. Minutes passed without a single noise from outside of his room. Once he finished his workout, he left his room to check on his roommate. When the door opened, Sakusa was sure he held his breath for several solid seconds.

The feeling that bloomed in his chest that day was unexplainable. The Akaashi that greeted him on the other side of the bathroom door was the same as he had always been— still, Sakusa was at a loss for words for several seconds before finally speaking in the only way he knew. To anyone else, his words were crude, taunting Akaashi for his prolonged stay in the bathroom. Yet, he also knew that _because_ it was Akaashi, the words would not be interpreted that way. The responses, however, threw Sakusa into an unnecessary moment of panic, and his only way of solving it was to push Akaashi away.

Seeing Akaashi with his glasses now, when Sakusa was expecting them then, reawakened those same, inexplicable feelings.

Sakusa was used to seeing his roommate’s face after living with him for years, but at that moment, the way the light reflected off of Akaashi’s features, the regular emotionless expression, even the addition of the black-framed glasses— 

Each and every detail of Akaashi Keiji was wholly enchanting.

[‘ _Ma~n, you’re so lucky, Kiyoomi.~_ ’]

Those words held more truth than Sakusa initially thought.

“Sakusa-san.” At the mention of his name, Sakusa jerked his head back, his eyes focusing on the person he absolutely did not need to see at that moment. Akaashi was standing behind the couch, in all of his effortless beauty, his head tilted slightly. “Are you done?”

“Am I bothering you?”

“No. You’ve been like that for a while.”

“And?”

“You are quite amazing.” The thinnest trace of a smile filled Sakusa’s vision. “I could barely hold a plank for two minutes.”

“Oh.” Sakusa pulled himself up, his entire body aching as he maneuvered out of the stiff position, unaware of how much time had passed since he began.

‘ _He was keeping track of the time? He was watching?_ ’ He felt his face flush at that moment but quickly attributed it to his workout.

Sakusa sat on his legs, clasping his hands behind his back as he stretched his arms. The two of them held the gaze for what seemed like an eternity before Akaashi’s lips parted.

“I was thinking we could go to a festival together.”

“What?” Despite his attempts to hide all of his emotions, a hint of surprise manifested in his reaction.

“Bokuto-san thinks I’ve been working too much.” Akaashi turned his head away. “He says I need a break. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to a festival as well.” Sakusa twitched slightly at the mention of Akaashi’s former teammate, but there was no indication from Akaashi to suggest that he noticed.

“Go by yourself.” Having finished the arm stretch, Sakusa moved to stretch his legs. “Too many people.”

“We can stay near the edge. There aren’t as many people there.”

“No.”

Akaashi began playing with his long fingers again; it took a surprising amount of willpower for Sakusa to keep his eyes fixated on Akaashi’s face instead of his hands.

“Have you ever been to a festival?”

Sakusa narrowed his eyes at the question, the corners of his lips tugging downwards.

“...No.”

“It’s a fun experience, even if you just walk around.”

“No.”

“Well...it’s fun when you go with someone.” Akaashi sighed, a glint of disappointment flickering in his eyes as he moved back to his seat to resume studying. “If you decide to change your mind...” Sakusa’s response caught in his throat as he staggered upwards, unable to respond.

He showered, and the topic was dropped.

§ § § § § § § § §

“Sakusa! It’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

“Yes, good afternoon, Iizuna-san.” Sakusa adjusted himself into a more comfortable position sitting at the head of his bed, his back pressed against the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him.

“What was it you wanted to talk about?” His former captain’s cheery voice passed through the receiver cleanly. “Something about university?”

“Not really.”

“...Well? Is it so important that you wanted to call instead of text?”

“Uh…” Sakusa took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a few seconds to regain a bit of his composure.

 _‘He’s not here, it’s fine to talk about it._ _’_ Miraculously, Akaashi had chosen the afternoon to go grocery shopping, leaving Sakusa the rare chance of being alone in the apartment.

“What do you do when someone asks you to go to a festival with them?”

“What?” The delayed reaction was slightly terrifying, and Sakusa wished he had simply ended the call before he asked the question.

“I said-”

“No no, I heard what you said. I’m just...shocked? Who asked?”

“Akaashi.”

“Oh.” Silence.

“I told him no already, but I think he’s giving me the chance to change my mind.”

“You already said no!?” Sakusa distanced his head from his phone, grimacing at the deafening response.

“Yes.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised. I can’t really imagine you going to a festival. The ones in Tokyo are popular and crowded during this time of year.”

“Mm."

“So...You’re asking me what I would do?”

“Yes.” Sakusa held his breath, his free hand playing with the hem of his shirt.

“I mean, if someone asked, I’d see if I was free before accepting. If I’m busy, I’ll ask if there’s another day, since festivals typically last a few.” A small pause. “It’s different for you though.”

“Yeah.”

“If I were you, I’d probably ask to go on a day that’s less popular. It’s summer vacation right now, right? It’ll be a little harder since students have more time now.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s hot during the afternoon, so I suggest going later into the day so you can avoid sweating, and you should stay around the stalls that have less people.”

“Okay.”

“...Is that all you’re going to say?”

“I don’t know what else to say.” Sakusa twisted a finger into the fabric of his shirt as his senior laughed pleasantly on the other end of the call.

“Honestly, Sakusa, I think you should go if it’s Akaashi you’re going with.”

“What if it wasn’t Akaashi?”

“But it is.” Iizuna’s voice dropped slightly, a tone of seriousness surfacing. “Don’t start with hypotheticals. You’re calling me because you want to go, right? Do you need someone to convince you to go?”

Sakusa remained silent, his hand now balled up on his leg, gripping his shorts tightly.

“Akaashi’s a smart guy. He’s been with you for a while now, so I’m sure he’ll know when something bothers you. I mean, that guy took care of Fukurodani’s ace in a matter of months! If I was in his position, I probably would have given up.”

Sakusa pressed his lips into a thin line.

_‘Does everything about him have to go back to that guy?’_

Iizuna spoke again, his voice a bit hurried, as if he knew Sakusa was burning a hole through his bedsheets at what he said.

“He’s spent much more time with you now, so I’m sure he understands you pretty well!”

“Yeah.” It was all Sakusa’s voice could produce.

“...Sakusa.”

“Yeah?”

“Take pictures for me, okay~?” The familiar tone of the call ending rang hauntingly in Sakusa’s ear. Sakusa lowered his phone onto his bed, dumbfounded at his friend’s parting words. He sat in that position for what seemed like hours until his trance was broken by the faint sounds of the front door opening.

§ § § § § § § § §

  
  


[I heard from Iizuna-san!! If you don’t go, I’ll go for you!]

[You’re not even in the city.]

[So!? I’ll hop on the next train!]

  
  


δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

“I’ll go.”

Startled, Akaashi hurriedly diverted his attention from the sizzling eggs on the stove to fix his gaze on the person that had snuck up on him while he was preparing breakfast, one of the few times he was able to prepare the meal ever since Sakusa took a good portion of their cooking duties.

“You will?”

“That’s what I said.” Sakusa’s hands were pushed deeply into the pockets of his sweatpants, his roaming eyes focusing on anything it could find to avoid eye contact with Akaashi. “When?”

“We can go on the last day.”

“Too many people will be there.”

“It’s being held over four days.” Akaashi turned his back to the frying pan. “We can go on the second day. The crowds should be smaller.”

“Which is?”

“Sunday.” Two days from now, Akaashi mentally noted. Sakusa took his sweet time giving Akaashi his final decision after staying silent about the invitation for almost an entire week. The festival was set to begin tomorrow, so it gave them that day and the next to prepare.

“Okay.”

“You can leave whenever you want.”

“...I won’t.”

“Bold statement.” Akaashi placed the eggs on a plate, holding the plates out to Sakusa. His roommate took them and went towards the dining table. “Don’t push yourself to stay the entire time.”

“Mm.”

Breakfast and lunch passed without another word about the festival.

Come dinner time, Akaashi had put on a rerun of one of Bokuto’s games, allowing it to play in the background while he prepared the evening meal for the day. It was a game he had watched countless times before, and he knew almost every point by heart; it was simply there to act as background noise to distract him from the thoughts in his head.

At some point, he heard one of the doors in the apartment creak open, and about a minute later, the volume on the television was lowered. Akaashi peeked over his shoulder momentarily.

Sakusa was watching the game, his weight mostly balanced on one leg. One hand rested on his hip, the other at his side, and Akaashi did not have to see Sakusa’s expression to know a deep frown had formed. Compared to his usual self, from behind, Akaashi felt that Sakusa appeared slightly more disoriented than usual. There were slight wrinkles at the edges of his shirt, and more prominently, his normally wellkept curly hair was notably messy and sticking out in a few areas.

“Good evening, Sakusa-san.” Akaashi offered the simple greeting as he continued to cook. “Sorry if that was too loud.”

“Mm.”

_‘Not in the mood to talk right now, huh.’_

“Dinner will be done in a few minutes.”

“Okay.”

“...Sakusa-san.”

“What?” Akaashi made sure his back was facing Sakusa as he continued preparing their meal, not wanting to look him in the eye or witness his reaction.

“If you don’t want to go-”

“I already said I’m _going_.” A moment of hesitation kept Akaashi from responding, allowing a thin layer of tension to settle.

“I don’t want to be the reason why you go, though.”

“You are.”

_‘Thanks, I guess.’_

“If you want, we can ask Komori-san to join us.”

It was a modest offer, one that Akaashi believed would have helped ease Sakusa’s nerves about the situation. Komori was the only person Akaashi had ever seen interact with Sakusa in a friendly manner, and Sakusa was not in a state of fight-or-flight when around him. Other than what Akaashi was able to observe during their high school tournaments, he was unaware of how close their relationship was and if they still maintained contact.

“It’s fine.” The words finally arrived after a long stretch of silence. Akaashi spent the next few seconds attempting to figure out if he had overstepped his boundaries or if Sakusa was just thinking about the possibilities of Akaashi’s offer. Instead of responding, Akaashi prepared the table, carrying the dishes out of the kitchen. “He’s too busy to come.”

“I see.” Akaashi nodded.

Once the table was ready, Sakusa made his way over to his seat; Akaashi, who always sat across the table from him, was finally able to study his roommate’s face. His messy black hair hung low, lightly grazing his pale skin. Sakusa’s dark eyes, normally profound, were now occupied by an enigmatic presence, one that Akaashi was unable to understand before Sakusa turned his face to the side, allowing his slightly disorganized curls to obscure Akaashi’s view of the upper portion of his face.

“Sakusa-san, your hair is getting long.”

“And?”

“Does it bother you when you’re playing?”

“...” Sakusa stuffed his mouth with rice to avoid answering, his downcasted eyes staring at the table in front of him.

“I’m not very good at cutting hair, so we can go somewhere….?”

“Mm.” Sakusa chewed his food, swallowed, and cleared his throat. “Tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

“It’s a little far.”

“What is?”

“The salon.” Sakusa waved his chopsticks in a circle motion, gesturing at nothing in particular. “It’s pretty far from here.”

_‘Of course he has a specific salon. And, if it’s pretty far, that must be why he allowed it to grow out.'_

“Do you want to come?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Oh.” Sakusa glanced away quickly. “I thought you’d want to come.”

“You did?”

“You should get a haircut too.”

“Do I look that bad?” Sakusa turned his head towards Akaashi, staring at him for an uncomfortably long moment. 

“No.”

“I think it can last a few more weeks.” Akaashi’s hand went up to his hair, pulling a few tufts out to gauge how long it was. It was still decently short, barely touching his neck, and his bangs were growing out, which he did not mind.

“Mm.”

_‘... Oh.'_

“Did you want someone to go with you?” Sakusa grumbled a clear rebuttal, even if the words were mired through his clenched teeth.

_‘He doesn’t want to admit it?'_

“I don’t have much to do tomorrow, so I’ll come with you.”

“Okay.” Sakusa ate the last of his food, pushing himself away from the table and heading to the sink with his dishes. A few minutes later, Akaashi’s plates joined the sink, and Akaashi began washing the dishes as Sakusa went back to his room to prepare for his evening shower.

§ § § § § § § § §

About an hour before sunset on the day of the festival, Akaashi stood in front of the closed bathroom door, his arms crossed against his abdomen and tucked into the sleeves of his yukata. Sakusa had been in the bathroom for what seemed like the entire afternoon, the only indication of what he was doing being the constant sounds of running water. He wagered that his roommate had taken an entire bath and three showers, which Akaashi thought was excessive, even from the ever pristine Sakusa.

Finally, after standing in absolute silence for five minutes, the muted sounds of a hair dryer filled the hallway. Akaashi let out the breath that he was unwittingly holding, his shoulders slumping into a more relaxed position. More minutes passed before the sound died, and more minutes before Sakusa emerged from the bathroom, light traces of steam spilling out into the hallway.

“Were you trying to turn the bathroom into a sauna?” Akaashi tilted his head questioningly, his eyes starting to roam away from his roommate’s face. Sakusa’s broad stature filled the door frame completely, and he had to bend down slightly to pass through the door unharmed. His festival outfit was similar to Akaashi’s; except for the blueish grey that Akaashi had chosen, Sakusa wore a dark grey yukata, which Akaashi thought matched well with Sakusa’s signature ambience.

“No.” Sakusa stepped to the side to allow Akaashi to enter the bathroom. Akaashi simply stood where he was, his eyes moving back up to Sakusa’s head.

“You aren’t going to style your hair?”

“What’s there to do? It’s just hair.” Sakusa narrowed his eyes. His hair was neatly organized and parted, the way he usually had it; even though he had just gotten a light trim, Akaashi frowned disapprovingly.

“Have you tried a different hairstyle?”

“No.”

“It’s worth it to try something new.”

“No.”

“Sakusa-san, your hair looks deep fried.” Sakusa’s expression immediately darkened, and he inched away from Akaashi.

“No.”

“You’re going to scare the other festival goers.”

“No.”

“Just one day. You can change it back tomorrow.” Akaashi entered the bathroom, found Sakusa’s brush, and made his way to the dining table. “Come.” He pulled out a chair, gesturing for his roommate to take a seat. Sakusa’s impressive height would make it difficult for Akaashi to work with and uncomfortable for Sakusa to have to bend down, so Akaashi offered this alternative.

Sakusa timidly sat down after countless minutes of glaring in Akaashi’s general direction. He hunched over, leaning away from Akaashi, who stood directly behind him with the brush in hand.

“Sakusa-san, straighten your posture.”

“...”

“Here.” Akaashi jabbed Sakusa’s side with the brush, stopping when Sakusa tore the brush from his grip. He then went back to the bathroom, took proper time to wash his hands, and returned. The glare from his roommate’s hooded eyes persisted, but knowing that Akaashi had washed his hands, his back slowly met the back of the chair.

“Two minutes.”

“Fine.” Akaashi took the brush back from Sakusa, his hands hovering over the mass of curly locks on top of Sakusa’s head. The two minutes passed with no contact, fierce glares, and absolute silence, Sakusa’s lifted a hand to run his fingers through his hair.

“Well?”

“I’m thinking.” Akaashi took a step forward to take in Sakusa’s appearance and then stepped back. “I know what I want to do now.”

“Your time’s up.”

“I didn’t even touch your hair yet.” Sakusa visibly sank into his seat, and Akaashi could easily imagine the kind of disapproving expression that was on his face.

“Hurry up.”

“Do you use hair gel, Sakusa-san?”

“ _What?_ ” The word came out with such force that Akaashi leaned back slightly, as if preparing for Sakusa to explode in front of him.

“Hair gel.”

“ _No_. Absolutely _not_.”

“...Hair spray?”

“That’s even _worse_.” Sakusa turned his torso back to glare at Akaashi. “My hair is _fine_.”

“Hair gel it is.”

“I-” Akaashi rushed into the bathroom before the full sentence formed, rummaging through every drawer. Hurried footsteps stopped at the door. “Don’t look, I don’t have any.”

“Conveniently…” Akaashi went through the last of his belongings. “Neither do I.” A light sigh of relief came from the door.

“What do you want to do?” Sakusa backed away from the door when Akaashi looked at him, a touch of fear behind his words.

“I was thinking I could slick your hair back.” Akaashi waved at the right side of Sakusa’s head. “It’ll be harder for the other side, but your hair is shorter here. We can smooth out your curls here and bring out this a little.”

His suggestion was met with a vehement glower.

“It’s worth a try.” A hint of a smile appeared on Akaashi’s face. “Plus, you’ll look less scary.”

“...How do you plan on doing such a thing.”

“I’ll run down to the store and buy something.” Sakusa visibly shivered at the thought.

“You’re going to buy hair gel?”

“It’s not too bad. I know the brand Bokuto-san uses.”

“Ew.”

“It manages to keep his hair up for practically the entire day, so it’s quite effective in doing its job.”

“...”

“I’ll go out and get it. The store is pretty close.”

By the time Akaashi made his purchase, thoroughly washed his hands, and styled Sakusa’s hair, the sun was beginning to sink into the horizon. Akaashi took a step back to admire his work, nodding approvingly. Sakusa took the chance to leap out of the chair, heading back into the bathroom to judge Akaashi’s work. Akaashi followed behind him, staring at Sakusa through the mirror.

“Well?”

“...Not bad.”

 _‘Not bad?_ _‘_ Akaashi was certainly not a hair stylist, but he had to admit that his own work left him breathless. Now that there weren’t random curls fraying out, Sakusa’s new hairstyle, coupled with his attire, was nothing short of attractive. Akaashi turned away from the sight, washing his hands yet again.

“Good job.”

“Thanks. Let’s get going.”

“Mm.” Sakusa toyed with the edges of the wavy curls that hung over the left side of his face, and Akaashi swore Sakusa’s cheeks colored under the bathroom light.

Akaashi waited by the front door, his roommate shuffling around his room for a few minutes before meeting him. A black face mask covered the lower half of his face, and Akaashi noticed the medium sized drawstring bag, a kinchaku, hanging from Sakusa’s slender wrist. Akaashi carried one as well, one that matched with his outfit, but his was one the smaller side, carrying only what he needed.

“What did you bring?”

“Everything I need. No glasses?”

“I don’t need them.”

The walk to the festival was like any other walk they shared: silent, yet acutely aware of their surroundings and adapt if necessary. Out of habit, Akaashi always walked on Sakusa’s right, which would allow him to get between another pedestrian and Sakusa if the pedestrian happened to be heading in the opposite direction. They never established these positions; Akaashi simply took it upon himself to body block for his roommate if needed.

A quick and habitual glance at his roommate proved deadly, and Akaashi could not thank himself enough for choosing to stay to the right of his roommate.

Had this been any other day, Akaashi would have barely been able to see much of Sakusa’s face. Now, with the right part of his hair pulled away from his cheek, Sakusa’s features were entirely visible to him. Hardened eyes focused on the path in front of them, pale skin holding a warm glow in the decaying sun, even the birth marks that were always present on his forehead; these were features complemented by Sakusa’s defined jawline poking out of his face mask, which completed the ethereal spectacle that unfolded in front of Akaashi’s eyes.

“Stop staring.”

“I’m just admiring my work.” Akaashi tilted his head away from Sakusa, feeling heat creep to his cheeks.

“Mm.”

“It’s a good look on you.” The curls that hung over Sakusa’s left profile swayed slightly as he turned his head towards Akaashi.

“...Really?”

“I always thought your hair got in the way when you play.” Akaashi shrugged. “You like keeping it long, so this seemed like a good compromise.”

Sakusa’s gaze returned to the road in front of them.

As they got closer to the advertised location for the festival, Akaashi noticed the amount of people around them slowly beginning to increase. While there were parties walking in the other direction, there seemed to be an equal amount of festival goers pouring into the site of the festival. As the number of people increased, Sakusa’s stride slowed, eventually coming to a complete stop when they sighted the first of many stalls. They simply had to cross three streets to reach the stalls, and they now stood a few feet away from the crosswalk of the first.

Akaashi stayed by Sakusa’s side, staring at the amount of people that were gathered. The amount of people that had come to enjoy the festivities were more than he had expected, but there was still ample room to make their way through the streets. He turned to look at the statued Sakusa, pausing for a moment before speaking.

“When you’re ready.”

A low grunt was his response. Akaashi gestured at Sakusa, motioning for them to move aside and allow others to pass by, then diverted his gaze from his roommate, finding interest in his surroundings. They stood in front of a bookstore that Akaashi had visited numerous times, so he took a peek inside; naturally, the store was closed, but Akaashi reassured himself that he could visit another day. His eyes lingered at the countless spines and covers on the other side of the glass until Sakusa gave him another sign of life.

“Okay.”

The two of them crossed the street, an act that barely required ten steps from the two of them. Sakusa stopped dead in his tracks once they reached the other side of the street safely, taking deep, chafed breaths. Akaashi pulled the two of them aside again, watching as strangers cast a questioning glance at the odd pair. This cycle repeated as they closed the distance between themselves and their destination, the necessary breaks lasting longer each time.

At the last intersection, Akaashi suspected Sakusa was at his limit. His chest heaved at each unsteady breath, a slight sway took over, and his bleak eyes glazed over every person in sight with a nasty squint. Before Akaashi was able to consult him, Sakusa stumbled forward.

_‘He fainted…!?’_

Akaashi’s arms shot forward in a vain attempt to catch Sakusa, but his body never collided with the floor. Instead, he assumed a fetal position and wrapped his arms around his bent legs, burning his head just under his arms, making himself as small as possible. Akaashi awkwardly stood over Sakusa with outstretched arms, watching as Sakusa trembled in an attempt to make himself smaller.

 _‘This is even worse than Bokuto-san’s dejected mode…!?_ _’_ Akaashi took his eyes away from his roommate, looking around quickly. By chance, there were fewer people in the vicinity that could see Sakusa, but Akaashi still placed himself between Sakusa and any onlooker. Seeing him move, Sakusa inched closer to the building they stopped in front of, placing distance between himself and anyone walking on the sidewalk.

“Sakusa-san, I-”

“No.”

Akaashi’s fingers nervously intertwined. He had always thought of Sakusa as a proud man, never backing down from a worthy challenge, speaking only when he deems the conversation worthwhile. Even when he had to approach Akaashi to take care of a bug, an occurrence that was sporadic at best, the fear that would normally be associated with his request was channeled through his panicked gaze. Akaashi swallowed dryly, moving to stand facing Sakusa before squatting down to his level.

“Sakusa-san.”

“No.” His voice was barely audible through his face mask, tucked head, and the loud sounds associated with the celebratory event just seconds away

“I haven’t said anything.”

“You're about to say we can go back. No.”

“You still want to continue?” Akaashi felt his heartbeat crawl up to his throat. “You’re not going anywhere like this.”

“I can.” Sakusa lifted his head just enough for their eyes to meet. The dread in Sakusa’s dark pupils was clear, but it was mixed with determination as he repeated his sentence. “I can.”

“People are looking at us strangely…” Akaashi knew better than to mention that.

“I don’t care.”

 _‘But_ I _do.’_

“...Sakusa-san.”

“...”

“Sakusa.” Akaashi extended his arm, his right hand just inches from Sakusa’s knees, his palm turned upwards. Sakusa merely turned his eyes towards it, unresponsive. Akaashi thought his intentions were quite clear, so he simply held his hand in the air, waiting.

“Why?”

“Bokuto-san is quite childish.” Akaashi hummed in thought. “Whenever the volleyball team would go out together, he would refuse to stand still. To keep him from trouble, I held his hand.”

“That’s weird. And I’m not going to cause trouble.”

“No, but in Bokuto-san’s case, he was able to calm down and act like a functioning human being.”

“...”

“I can leave you here.” Akaashi tipped his head slightly. “And you can come find me later.”

“No.”

“Then, let’s go. People will start getting suspicious of us.” Akaashi curled and uncurled his fingers, an invitation for Sakusa to take his hand. Sakusa hesitated, then reached into his bag, pulling out a bottle of hand sanitizer. A cool pool of liquid formed on Akaashi’s palm, and he earnestly applied the hand sanitizer to his hands before holding his hand out again.

The seconds dragged on as Akaashi waited, his steel eyes keeping track of Sakusa’s every move. Time resumed when Sakusa moved his arm, a shaky hand approaching a steady one. Their fingertips instinctively twitched at the marginal contact, and Sakusa paused, as if processing the touch. His hand hovered over Akaashi’s and idly formed a fist, as if out of hesitation, as if he was waiting for Akaashi to move.

Akaashi remained still, his eyes set on Sakusa.

Sakusa’s fingers uncoiled. Gently, like a leaf fluttering from a tree branch, his hand descended.

Akaashi’s fingers met Sakusa’s palm. Sakusa’s fingers met Akaashi’s palm.

Turning his hand, Akaashi took Sakusa’s hand as if he was going to give him a handshake, standing up and feeling the blood rush down his legs. Sakusa followed suit just a second later, his head lowered to stare at their hands. Akaashi waited a moment before attempting to walk, leading Sakusa towards the festival. It took a bit of tugging, but Sakusa’s feet eventually left the ground, retracing Akaashi’s steps.

They crossed the intersection successfully, and Sakusa’s grip on Akaashi’s hand tightened with each step. Used to the bone splitting grip that Bokuto had, Akaashi dealt with the increasing pain, only lightly squeezing back as a reassurance.

Sakusa stayed just behind Akaashi, who parted the crowded area for the two of them to walk through. At some point, Sakusa loosened his grip, slipping his hand away. Akaashi turned his head enough to cast a questioning glance at his roommate, stopping in his tracks. They were standing at the side of the first stand on the street, which boasted a simple shooting game.

Akaashi felt Sakusa’s hand join his again, but this time, the fingers of Sakusa’s right hand slipped between the fingers of Akaashi’s right hand. Sakusa’s palm pressed against the back of Akaashi’s hand as he resumed his death grip.

“That’s not how you hold hands.”

“I’m walking directly behind you. It’s more practical this way.”

It took a surprising amount of mental strength to keep himself from rolling his eyes, but Akaashi continued their leisure pace, his arm pulled back just enough for Sakusa to comfortably hold his hand. Now unable to properly squeeze Sakusa’s hand to calm him, Akaashi resorted to periodically rubbing his fingers against the backs of Sakusa’s.

Despite the environment that they were in, Akaashi felt a gradual peace settle over their easy walk. The sights and sounds of gleeful children clenching candied apples, of parents calling after them, of vendors advertising their stall, all were pushed to the back of Akaashi’s mind. Instead, he kept his gaze slightly upwards, at the colorful decorations linking the stalls together. The warm orange of lanterns big and small were a relaxing substitute to the natural lighting that would typically be present in an outdoor area. Larger ones hung at the stalls, smaller ones from the trees, from the lines crossing over the heads of guests. Akaashi hummed, smiling up at the heavens before turning his attention to the stalls.

There were booths for merchandise, ranging from children’s toys to expensive china. There were stalls for entertainment, ranging from tossing bean bags to throwing darts. There were stands to delight the stomachs of those who have wandered the festival grounds for hours, ranging from taiyaki stuffed with red bean to sizzling lamb kabobs. The smells surrounding the food stands made his mouth water, and Akaashi’s eyes lingered on these particular areas longer than any other.

The twenty minutes of walking around the perimeter was blissful, but he continued eying the stands that were much more crowded. At every point where they could turn and delve deeper into the festival, Sakusa’s iron grip reminded him of who he was with, and Akaashi would turn his attention away. He felt a slight tug.

“No.”

“We can just go for five minutes. I just want to look.”

“It’s too crowded.”

“Five minutes.”

“...I’m hungry.”

‘ _Changing the topic, hmm…_ ’

“What do you want?”

“Pork buns.” Akaashi nodded in approval, remembering the stall that sold the savory treat. He guided the two of them through the light crowd and towards the small line designated for the specific stall.

One side of the festival premises included a small park, which was a serene area to distance themselves from the jubilant atmosphere just meters away. Akaashi properly swept down a bench, which was situated under a tree with lanterns twirling around the lower branches, and the two of them settled to eat, the box of four pork buns sitting between them.

Akaashi wasted no time biting into the steaming bun, a timid exhale of satisfaction. He felt Sakusa watching him eat, as if waiting for Akaashi to die of potential poison. Rolling his shoulders, likely to release the tension that built up from making himself as stiff and small as possible from traversing through the crowds, he pulled his face mask down to his chin and began to eat, allowing their chewing, the distant chatter of the festival, and the crinkle of the paper wrapping to fill the void between them.

Once his eyes were finished inspecting the park, Akaashi turned his hand upwards, watching drifty clouds travel across the darkened sky, still munching on the pork buns they had purchased.

“It’s getting late.” Sakusa’s voice was low and hushed, barely audible over the noise around them.

“It’s not even eight.”

“It’s dangerous to be out late.”

“We can walk around some more before we head back.” Akaashi finished the last of his first pork bun, hungrily reaching for a second. “I’m having fun.”

“It doesn't look like you are.”

“I am.” Akaashi filled his mouth with the second pork bun, ending the conversation.

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

They stayed at the park long after they finished eating, resting after their fulfilling meal. Sakusa had made sure the two of them cleansed their hands with hand sanitizer before they relaxed.

Once he pulled up his mask, Sakusa took out his phone, squinting at the harsh light of his screen to read the notifications.

[Iizuna-san]

[5 new messages]

[Motoya]

[14 new messages]

Sakusa turned around and snapped a quick scenic picture of the celebrations occurring. He sent the picture to his senior and cousin without reading their messages, then shut off his phone, slipping it into the safety of his bag.

“That’s not a good picture.”

Sakusa winced.

“How do you know?”

“It’ll be nicer if you take it while you’re there, not from a distance.”

Sakusa turned his head away from his companion, simply staring off into the distance. Akaashi stood up abruptly.

“I’ll go take some for you. You can wait here.”

His attention now on the ground in front of him, Sakusa simply nodded, adjusting his face mask slightly. Once he was alone, he tilted his head to face the nighttime sky and closed his eyes, resting them from the bright, lively lights that fluttered around him. He curled and uncurled the fingers on his right hand, the warm sensation of another person’s touch lingering.

Sakusa thought he would have been pestered by the excessive amount of physical touch that had happened that day. He counted no less than fifty seven times where a random person came in contact with him in any way, whether that was a small child running by and grazing his hand or a passerby lightly brushing his sleeve. Each time, he reminded himself of the person in front of him, desperately steadying his trembling body and reminding himself to _breathe_.

He told himself that it would end soon, and he would spend the entire night taking repeated showers and baths to purge whatever filthy germs had made his way onto his skin or into his hair.

He told himself to bite down on his lip to hold back any harsh words at the person he was accompanying, because this was only a one-time occurrence.

He told himself not to make a single noise, whether it was to snap at someone for having stepped to close or to express his general discomfort of the area they were in.

Each time he rotated through his reassurances, he made sure to include that he was there for Akaashi, and that was the only reason he was being so lenient with his boundaries. Sakusa searched through his mind, remembering the feeling of the softly intertwined fingers resting on top of his own, holding onto the little warmth that Akaashi offered him as though his life depended on it.

He made a mental note to figure out what got under Akaashi’s skin and use it as leverage in the future.

“Sakusa-san.”

Akaashi’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and Sakusa’s eyelids lifted as he turned his head towards the source. This was the first time he had said his name since Sakusa had his rather embarrassing moment just an hour or two ago.

“You’re back with the honorifics?”

“...Sakusa.” Akaashi stood towards the side, avoiding Sakusa’s gaze as his usual habit of playing with his hands emerged. “I sent you the pictures.”

“I’ll look at them later.”

“We should get going.”

“In a bit.” Sakusa muttered, ignoring the surprise on Akaashi’s face. He adjusted one of his legs over the other, swinging the leg slightly. “I need a longer break.”

“Alright.” As the last syllable left Akaashi’s tongue, a shrill whistle pulsed through the summer air, followed by explosive crackles. Sakusa turned his head towards the open air, watching as multicolored fireworks sparked across the night sky only to fade into nothingness as they approached the earth below. Each eruption rang through his bones, stirring his soul; his heart pounded against his chest, the earth beneath his feet vibrating at the detonation of short lived wonder.

He grew disinterested after the first few fireworks sang their few notes, turning his head to glance around. A reasonably sized crowd started making their way into the park to enjoy the display, likely because the sky was open to viewing at this area and no one would be bothered by someone standing still. Sakusa shifted in discomfort as people walked past the bench he was seated at, keenly aware of some individuals lingering several feet behind him. To his left, out of the corner of his eye, Akaashi walked slightly closer to him, stopping a few feet from his side, a gesture of protection. Sakusa turned his head, and his breath caught in his lungs. Under his mask, his lips parted in amazement. 

The colors that dyed the sky in vibrant hues reflected beautifully across Akaashi’s face and mirrored in his eyes. The grey metallic blue that Sakusa was used to was now lighter than before, traced with streaks of vivid color. Red, blue, green, red again, yellow, even purple; as he continued to stare, he could no longer register the colors. Under Sakusa’s gaze, Akaashi’s typical expression shifted, now filled with something akin to wishful longing. 

Two words crossed his mind, traveled down to his heart, and buried themselves into his very being.

Sakusa sat as still as the tree beside the bench, as if convinced that any movement would take this moment from him. He stared wistfully at the person he had spent the past couple years with, wondering why he had never seen Akaashi in such a way before. Sakusa wished Akaashi would turn around, look at him with those same colors, the same expression, just so he could scrutinize them thoroughly and capture each detail to lock away for his future self.

Something bubbled delicately in his stomach; the same feeling blossomed beautifully in his chest.

Before he could hold onto them, the final firework scattered with an intensity as sharp and violent as the rest, the final sparks spreading in every direction imaginable as they screamed their final farewell.

The park stirred to life as onlookers to the flashy show began to return to their previous activities. Sakusa let out the breath he was holding, turning his eyes away from Akaashi.

Just a minute longer. He just needed one more minute.

“Sakusa, we should go now.”

“Yeah.” Sakusa placed both his feet on the ground before standing up on his shaky legs. He waited a moment to steady himself, smoothing out the wrinkles on his clothes, then reached for Akaashi’s hand.

As they returned to the main parts of the festivities, Sakusa found himself looking around. During their first walk, he had fixed his eyes on the floor, watching Akaashi’s shoes in order to avoid stepping on him. Now walking around a second time, Sakusa panned his eyes to the sights around him, glossing over most of the stalls that were uninteresting to him. They approached a street where they could turn deeper into the festival grounds, and through the moving crowd, Sakusa’s eyes caught an object reflecting the light in a familiar way. He paused, pulling on Akaashi’s hand to stop him as well. Akaashi did as he was indicated to, following Sakusa’s gaze. He took a few steps back, stopping mere inches in front of Sakusa.

“Do you want to go there?”

“Yes.” The word tumbled out of Sakusa’s mouth without a second thought, and Sakusa used his free hand to point at the stall where he caught the dazzling sparkle. “That one.”

“Alright.” They waited for a family to pass before Akaashi led him through the crowds, which were progressively worse as they got closer. Sakusa’s hand tightened around Akaashi’s hand as he stayed closely behind him, his eyes alternating between the back of Akaashi’s head and the object of his attraction.

They stopped in front of a stall selling, of all things, wind chimes. The windless night meant they were able to avoid a disorganized chorus of bells, but there were a few other curious buyers that knocked against the chimes gently, swinging soft rings into the air. Sakusa’s eyes roamed the chimes on display, hanging from the roof and the edges of the stall. His eyes focused on one of the many decorations. Sakusa pointed at it, tugging on Akaashi’s hand to grab his attention.

His fingertips directed Akaashi’s gaze to wind chimes in the shape of dragonflies. Eight dragonflies of varying sizes dangled at varying heights, hung by identical strings, spiraling in a suspended flight towards the sky. The particular detail that attracted Sakusa, however, was the color.

The body of the dragonflies had the same metallic hue that was embedded in Akaashi’s eyes. The systemically and wildly cracked wings transparently mimicked this same color in some areas while the rest were filled with a different color: the one wing that Sakusa focused on was mostly grey, but held red, blue, green, red again, yellow, purple. Another dragonfly had three orange spots dotted across its wings, and yet another had areas of sky blue and deep red.

Sakusa’s heart was pulled towards the wind chime. His gaze turned to Akaashi, who simply nodded and called the vendor, likely unaware of the meaning behind the purchase.

Sakusa silently reasoned with himself; if he had this to stare at, there would be no need for the two of them to go to a festival again just so Sakusa could see Akaashi _like that_. All he would need to do is look at them, and he would be satisfied.

One successful purchase and half an hour later, the two of them were on the way back to the apartment, the box cradled in Akaashi’s arm.

Later that night, after he adequately cleaned each and every part of the wind chimes to the point where each rotation under the light caused a glaring shine, Sakusa hung the wind chimes on the metal bar that stretched across their balcony as Akaashi watched him through the glass doors, seated at the dining table, a warm cup of tea between his hands.

§ § § § § § § § §

Summer graciously gave way for autumn, which fluttered away for the blizzard that was winter. To avoid catching a deadly cold that would wreck his body, Sakusa spent many afternoons under the kotatsu in the living room and made sure the heater was on in his room every chilly night. He made sure to inhale warm drinks, especially tea, as often as possible, as though he was given an endless supply of the best tea in the world, but it was only available for a year.

In the dead of January, after two hot showers, Sakusa was settled under the thick covers on his bed, his room a toasty retreat from the icy outdoors. His phone was in his hands, which were resting on his lap, his thumbs flying across the screen to reply to a message from one of his siblings. Just as he pressed the button to forward the message, the lights in his room flickered ominously. Sakusa looked towards the ceiling, scanning the lights in his room.

Another flicker, and as Sakusa threw his covers aside, the lights completely died, the sound of his heater switching off. He fumbled with his phone, turning on the flashlight with the press of a button. Stepping out of the comfort of his warm room, he stared into the darkness, looking first towards the empty void that should be their living room, then deeper down the hallway in the direction of Akaashi’s room. The sounds of the door opening preceded the harsh phone light that shone at Sakusa’s face.

Sakusa shut his eyes quickly, throwing his head back and his arm up to block the blinding white.

“Sorry.” The light flicked upwards towards the ceiling, spreading just enough for the two of them to see each other across the hallway. “Did the electricity cut out?”

“What else would it be?” Blinking the dancing spots out of his eyes, Sakusa turned off the light on his phone to conserve battery. “It better be back soon.” He shivered violently at the thought of sleeping in the ice cube that is his room without his heater.

“I’ll call management.”

Three hours and two dissatisfying calls later, they were still in pitch darkness. Sakusa had put on two more layers and pulled out the thickest socks he had, sitting miserably on his bed with his blanket around him. The warmth in his room had faded away far too quickly. His phone sat in front of him at the lowest brightness, displaying the conversation between himself and Komori, who was giving his best wishes to Sakusa during this trying time. The battery percentage at the top corner of his phone was too low for Sakusa’s liking, so he promptly sent a good night message to his cousin, exited every app on his phone, and turned off the screen.

_‘If I can see my breath, I’m booking a hotel.’_

Sakusa pulled the blanket over his head like a hood, his face now the only part of his body exposed to the cold air in his room. The door to his room opened, and Akaashi’s light entered his room.

“They’re only able to get someone in the morning.”

“Please say you’re joking.”

“I wouldn’t lie.” Akaashi panned his light back into the hallway. “Try to get some sleep.”

“I’m not sleeping like _this_. It’s too cold.”

“Well, I don’t have another blanket to spare, so you’re just going to have to deal with it.” Sakusa grumbled disapprovingly, tightening his blanket around him as his body was rocked with another shiver.

“I’m going to take a bath.”

“No, don’t. You’ll just catch a cold.”

“Ugh.” Sakusa pulled the blanket over his mouth, breathing into his shaking hands. “Are you still working?”

“My laptop died fifteen minutes ago.” Sakusa glanced to his nightstand to stare at his dead alarm clock, realizing he did not check the time before he turned off his phone.

“What time is it?” Akaashi tilted his phone upwards, his thumb pressing against the power button along the edge.

“Just past midnight.”

“You’re going to bed?”

“Yeah, I have nothing else to do.”

“It’s too cold to sleep alone.”

“And?” The light was bright enough to illuminate Akaashi’s features despite being pointed at the ground, and Sakusa could see a look of confusion on Akaashi’s face.

“I don’t know what’s on your bed, so come here.”

“...I’m sorry?”

“It’s warmer this way.”

“I- Well-”

“Don’t argue. Grab your pillow and blanket. And brush your teeth.”

“I did that already.”

“Again.”

Akaashi heaved a tired sigh, giving into Sakusa’s demand as he trudged to the bathroom. Sakusa emerged from his blanket cocoon, preparing his side of the bed, turning on his phone’s flashlight for the next few minutes to provide lighting in his room. Akaashi reentered Sakusa’s room with a bundle of blankets in his arms minutes later, his pillow balanced unevenly at the top of the pile. He tilted his head to the side to look past the blankets, staring directly at Sakusa.

“There.” Sakusa pointed at the right side of the bed, the side closest to the window and furthest from the door. Akaashi did not complain, maneuvering to his assigned area. Sakusa situated himself comfortably, wrapping his blankets tightly around him, making sure they were tucked safely on his half of the bed.

“It doesn’t work if you’re at the edge, Sakusa. You’re going to fall off at some point.” Sakusa huffed, nudging his body ever so slightly closer to the middle of his bed. Akaashi said nothing more, pulling his blankets over his body as Sakusa turned off the flashlight on his phone.

Silence and shadows were all that occupied the room. Muted breathing was right beside him, if Sakusa strained his ears enough to listen. He turned his back towards his roommate and inched closer, just enough that he knew he was still within his boundary, but close enough to take in the warmth of the other person.

Sakusa’s weary eyes gave into the late hours, his consciousness drifting away.

§ § § § § § § § §

Sunrise took a while to enter the room. When it did, when it peeked through the small crevice between the curtains of his window, it decided to personally greet Sakusa by stepping directly on his eyes. The direct contact was only for a few seconds, but it was enough to bother Sakusa into stirring awake.

He kept his eyes closed, an internal struggle starting in his head. Opening his eyes meant he would have to begin the day, and keeping them as they were meant he was allowed to forget that he was ever awake to begin with.

Deep breaths, the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears, against his chest, at his fingertips. ‘ _Keep your eyes closed_ ,’ Sakusa mused to himself, ‘ _it’s warm in here and cold out there._ ’ 

It took him too long to notice his arm rising and falling in front of him. 

Sakusa’s eyes struggled to catch a glimpse of what was in front of him through his long eyelashes, which were weighed heavily with fatigue. The motionless head of his roommate rested hair lengths from his own face, cushioned gently by his pillow, facing away from him. Sakusa blinked once, then twice, as if trying to process if his roommate was actually there; he kept blinking until his eyes were wide open, but the raven-colored obstruction remained.

Sakusa lifted his own head slowly, first confirming that Akaashi was still asleep. Closed eyes, slightly parted lips, mellow, deep breaths.

Akaashi inhaled, and Sakusa’s arm rose. He exhaled, it fell.

Sakusa propped himself up with his other arm quickly, his blanket falling from his shoulders in the process, allowing him to unravel what was occuring. With an expression of disbelief, he found his other arm wrapped around Akaashi’s torso, his hand resting on the other side of his roommate’s body. Before Sakusa moved, Akaashi’s back had been pressed comfortably against his chest. Both of Akaashi’s hands laid just beside his head, inches from his own, snugly tucked under Sakusa’s slightly bent arm. While Akaashi’s blanket was still warmly placed over him, Sakusa’s blanket had been thrown over Akaashi’s shoulders, giving Akaashi an extra layer of warmth.

“What the fuck _happened_.” Sakusa disorientedly hissed through gritted teeth, pulling himself slowly away from his roommate so as to not disturb him. Luckily, it was just his arm that was anywhere near Akaashi; his legs, while clearly crossing the middle of the bed, were still a bit far from Akaashi’s. Once he was a safe distance back on his side of the bed, his hand going through his bedridden hair, Sakusa simply took in the sight of his roommate in a peaceful slumber.

 _‘The time-_ _’_ Sakusa twisted his body around, reaching for one of the two phones that rested on the nightstand beside his bed. His phone was dead, as expected, but Akaashi’s gave him weakly lit numbers.

07:02.

Just as he set the phone down, their apartment whirred to life; the lights in his room snapped back on as if nothing had happened, and his heater buzzed to life. Exhaling a sigh of relief, Sakusa slowly climbed out of bed, plugged his phone to his charger, turned off his heater, then the lights, and made his way to Akaashi’s room to do the same, clenching Akaashi’s phone in his hand.

_‘Don't tell.’_

δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ δ

Akaashi woke up hours before sunrise when something brushed past his shoulders, wrapping itself securely, cosily, tenderly around him.

_‘He must be dreaming.'_

The next time he opened his eyes, the morning had arrived. He was alone.

At breakfast, Akaashi wondered why Sakusa said nothing about that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Opalescent - Something that seems to always be changing color slightly
> 
> —————
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone for their patience with the release of this chapter; it definitely took longer than I expected and ended up being longer than I had originally planned. (Year 3 is longer than Years 1 and 2 combined, oops!)
> 
> Looking ahead to the near future though, I've tried to avoid major spoilers, but Years 4 and 5 will contain spoilers for the post-timeskip timeline, so please read ahead carefully!
> 
> As a final note, if you would like to talk to me about anything, my twitter is @/DarknessMelody, and I am there every day! You're free to come talk to me and ask me about anything and everything!
> 
> Once again, I humbly thank you for your time and patience, and thoroughly hope you have been enjoying this story! ♡


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